Malta is the largest of the Islands making up the archipelago which carries its name. The sister islands Gozo and Comino are smaller in size and are referred to as Għawdex and Kemmuna in the Maltese tongue. Filfla, Cominotto and the Islands of Saint Paul are minor components of the archipelago which, however, are uninhabited as they are far smaller than the main islands.
The archipelago lies closest to the Italian island of Sicily, being separated from it by an approximate distance of 90 km. To the south of the Islands lies the northern coast of Libya and to the east there is Tunisia.
The highest point on the main Island of Malta lies at 253 metres above sea level and is situated on the western side near the vicinity of the village of Ħad-Dingli at a point referred to as Ta’ Dmejrek.
Malta’s geological shaping resembles closely the delineation of a whale, with its tail pointing upwards and the mouth opening south onto the African continent. The port inlet situated around the capital city Valletta makes for a coincidental blowhole, rendering the resemblance more realistic.
The myriad of foreign occupants who landed on the Maltese beaches along the centuries left an indelible imprint on local culture and architecture enriching a unique historical background found nowhere else in the World.
The oldest erected human settlements still standing on the face of the Earth are found on the Maltese Islands. Dating back to a much earlier date than any Egyptian pyramid, Neolithic temples stand proud and defiant of the elements on various locations on both Malta and Gozo. Some of the best known are Ħaġar Qim, Mnajdra and Ġgantija, with the latter situated in Gozo and being regarded as the oldest of the temples on the Islands, and subsequently the most ancient free standing structure in the World with its approximate 5500 years of lifetime. Malta’s prehistoric heritage is further enriched with the Hypogeum of Ħal-Saflieni, the only prehistoric underground temple found on Earth.
Little is known about the mysterious temples and subsequent rulers of the Islands in those early days. Some historians speculate even an Egyptian occupation. Supposedly they came after the temple people and regarded the Islands as sacred in some of their early writings.
Documented history of the Maltese Islands starts from the Phoenician rule. An era in which it is thought the main Island of the archipelago was baptized as Malat, later Malta, meaning safe shelter. Carthage occupied the Islands after the Phoenicians, and then lost them to the Roman Empire in the Punic Wars. It is during this time that Christian Bible writings set the shipwreck of Saint Paul onto Malta. The Romans’ stay on the Islands was a long and fruitful one, and many underground catacombs and Roman villas from that era still ramify into tight passages below the streets of a number of Maltese villages. Similarly the Arabs’ sojourn was an extended one introducing to the Maltese agriculture improved methods of cultivation and new species of crops. Count Roger took over the Islands from the Arabs and established Norman rule.
Subsequently the Maltese Islands became the dominion of the French Angevin, a dynasty of Germanic Kings known as the Hohenstaufen and the Spanish Aragonese. The Spanish Emperor, Charles V, later handed over the Islands to the Knights of St. John defining the lands he was gifting them as the brightest and most precious jewel of his Empire. They left in inheritance magnificent fortified cities such as the capital city Valletta, named after Grand Master La Valette, and the Cathedral of St. John standing firm in an aura of unspeakable splendour in the very heart of the silent city of Mdina. Their greatest feat is, however, the 1565 resistance to the massive siege orchestrated by the Ottoman Empire on Malta. Historians recount that the final victory came on the 8th of September of 1565. That day, still remembered today in Maltese culture as Victory Day, Knights and the Maltese people took up the arms and together fought off the enemy in a bloody and gruesome battle which had the Maltese forces outnumbered and starving.
For a brief stint the French forces, under the command of Napoleon, occupied the Islands for two years. However, the Maltese people grew weary of the constant pillaging of Maltese churches and Cathedrals by the French occupants and rebelled against them with the help of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and Great Britain. The Maltese Islands then passed to the English until Malta acquired independence on the 21st of September of 1964.
This magnificent and amazing gem is a temple unique to the island of Malta. It’s name means “underground temple” in Greek. No other prehistoric underground temple is known of in the entire World.
The grandeur of the construction is not solely attributable to the idea of a prehistoric temple found below the earth, but also to the richness it holds in terms of issues relating to the culture of prehistoric inhabitants, their mysterious mastery of building techniques able to produce an astonishing relic of this kind carved in stone, and their enigmatic disappearance some 2000 years BC.
The Hypogeum, which covers an area of around 500 square metres and descends several storeys below the ground, served both as a burial chamber, with bones of at least 7000 individuals having been found, and a place of worship. It is also hypothesized that the construction was utilized as a training facility for priestesses.
The famous pyramids at Giza in Egypt were, not long ago, thought to be the earliest free standing human constructions on Earth. Advances in archeological techniques have, however, revealed that the Neolithic Temples scattered all over the Maltese Islands, are at least 1000 years older than the Egyptian pyramids making them the oldest human constructions on the face of the Earth.
Fine ornate decorations, precision cutting and superior alignment and construction of the structures unveil a phenomenon still shrouded in mystery. Even with the use of modern day construction tools the cutting, lifting and positioning of the huge stones is no easy task, let alone performing the feat thousands of years ago.
Additionally no metal remains from this historical period were uncovered suggesting that the archeological monuments were erected without the use of this most useful material.
These monumental temples, a cultural heritage belonging to all human kind, are found all around Malta with the major ones being Hagar Qim, Borg in-Nadur, Ggantija, Imnajdra, Tarxien Temples, ta’ Hagrat Temples, and the unique underground temple – the Hypogeum.
Għar Dalam is the site at which the earliest evidence of human settlement on the Maltese Islands was discovered. The unearthed evidence, including amulets, flints, pottery and other tools, points to a time era which goes back to approximately 7,400 years ago.
Within the six-layered cave were also found numerous remains of now extinct animals which had become stranded on the island in a prehistoric age when the Maltese Islands were connected by land bridges to the continent of Europe.
Excavated remains of dwarf elephants, hippopotamuses, turtles, the European red deer, bears, rodents, wolves, foxes and large swans from thousands of years ago are exhibited in the museum set up just above the Għar Dalam cave.
Stalactites hanging from the roof of the cave and gigantic stalagmites positioned on the cave’s floor provide for a wonderful sight and make this prehistoric cave a definite site to visit.
As Malta passed from under one ruler to another the spoken language gained shades of influence from different sources, ultimately blending and evolving into a unique tongue spoken only by the inhabitants of the Maltese Islands.
The major influence on the language is Semitic coming from Maghrebi Arabic, a variety of Arabic which in itself borrows much from the Latin tongue. Additional words and modes of pronunciation were introduced along the years as different rulers took over the Islands. Therefore there is also a strong influence from Romance. Both Semitic and Romance variations of a word are used interchangeably in many cases permitting the language to be versed in both forms.
The alphabet in use is basically the Latin alphabet, with minor introduction of a few other letters, unique to the Maltese alphabet, to suit the phonetics. Linguists regard the Maltese language as the only Semitic language written in the Latin alphabet.
Today both Maltese and English are recognized constitutionally as the official languages of the Maltese Islands. Italian was once the third language of the country but is today no more recognized as such. Nonetheless it is widely spoken and understood by a great majority of the Maltese citizens.
The Maltese language is an official language of the European Union.
Inaugurated in June of 2007 Mater Dei hospital is a state-of-the art structure furnished with all the latest medical equipment and employing some of the most well-trained medical personnel in the World. The majority of the expert medical staff have obtained their post-graduate specialty degrees from the United Kingdom. Medical care can also be sought in equally well equipped private institutions o the island.
The structure is easily accessible and free for UK residents with permanent residency on the Island. This permit is issued by the Office of the Prime Minister. For temporary residents with an extended visa there is an 85% reduction in fees after expiry of the initial 30 days of their stay in Malta. During the first 30 days medical care is completely free.
The possibilities are infinite ranging from a calm and healthy walk through the vast green expanses of the Maltese countryside, to a more adventurous abseiling experience or scuba diving into the deep blue underwater world.
Malta does not go into hibernation and the night keeps on living even in winter. With the thousands of restaurants dispersed all over the Island, cinemas, discotheques, a casino and a multitude of other entertainment establishments the choice is limitless.
Some of the most beautiful beaches in the whole of the Mediterranean can be found in the Maltese archipelago. The sunbathing season kicks off when the weather gets warmer in April and can extend even to the beginning of November.
Through the whole four months extending from June till September the most popular beaches are crowded with people enjoying the clear sea and some tranquil sunbathing on the long stretches of sand amidst picturesque settings. Quieter places are abundant as well with sheltered beaches and hidden coves scattered all over and sometimes accessible only by sea.
Pretty Bay in Birzebbuga is a beauty. Golden Bay and Ghajn Tuffieha are two other popular venues. Rocky areas suitable for sunbathing are plentiful too.
The action on Maltese beaches includes the pleasures of windsurfing and sailing, or some adventurous water skiing and jet skiing. Diving and snorkeling are other popular activities which are easily accessible in Malta. The marvelous crystal clear waters and unique fauna of the Islands make it a very popular destination for memorable scuba diving which gifts the diver with spectacular underwater scenery and an undisputed submerging experience.
The archipelago lies closest to the Italian island of Sicily, being separated from it by an approximate distance of 90 km. To the south of the Islands lies the northern coast of Libya and to the east there is Tunisia.
The highest point on the main Island of Malta lies at 253 metres above sea level and is situated on the western side near the vicinity of the village of Ħad-Dingli at a point referred to as Ta’ Dmejrek.
Malta’s geological shaping resembles closely the delineation of a whale, with its tail pointing upwards and the mouth opening south onto the African continent. The port inlet situated around the capital city Valletta makes for a coincidental blowhole, rendering the resemblance more realistic.
The oldest erected human settlements still standing on the face of the Earth are found on the Maltese Islands. Dating back to a much earlier date than any Egyptian pyramid, Neolithic temples stand proud and defiant of the elements on various locations on both Malta and Gozo. Some of the best known are Ħaġar Qim, Mnajdra and Ġgantija, with the latter situated in Gozo and being regarded as the oldest of the temples on the Islands, and subsequently the most ancient free standing structure in the World with its approximate 5500 years of lifetime. Malta’s prehistoric heritage is further enriched with the Hypogeum of Ħal-Saflieni, the only prehistoric underground temple found on Earth.
Little is known about the mysterious temples and subsequent rulers of the Islands in those early days. Some historians speculate even an Egyptian occupation. Supposedly they came after the temple people and regarded the Islands as sacred in some of their early writings.
For a brief stint the French forces, under the command of Napoleon, occupied the Islands for two years. However, the Maltese people grew weary of the constant pillaging of Maltese churches and Cathedrals by the French occupants and rebelled against them with the help of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and Great Britain. The Maltese Islands then passed to the English until Malta acquired independence on the 21st of September of 1964.
The grandeur of the construction is not solely attributable to the idea of a prehistoric temple found below the earth, but also to the richness it holds in terms of issues relating to the culture of prehistoric inhabitants, their mysterious mastery of building techniques able to produce an astonishing relic of this kind carved in stone, and their enigmatic disappearance some 2000 years BC.
The Hypogeum, which covers an area of around 500 square metres and descends several storeys below the ground, served both as a burial chamber, with bones of at least 7000 individuals having been found, and a place of worship. It is also hypothesized that the construction was utilized as a training facility for priestesses.
Fine ornate decorations, precision cutting and superior alignment and construction of the structures unveil a phenomenon still shrouded in mystery. Even with the use of modern day construction tools the cutting, lifting and positioning of the huge stones is no easy task, let alone performing the feat thousands of years ago.
Additionally no metal remains from this historical period were uncovered suggesting that the archeological monuments were erected without the use of this most useful material.
These monumental temples, a cultural heritage belonging to all human kind, are found all around Malta with the major ones being Hagar Qim, Borg in-Nadur, Ggantija, Imnajdra, Tarxien Temples, ta’ Hagrat Temples, and the unique underground temple – the Hypogeum.
Within the six-layered cave were also found numerous remains of now extinct animals which had become stranded on the island in a prehistoric age when the Maltese Islands were connected by land bridges to the continent of Europe.
Excavated remains of dwarf elephants, hippopotamuses, turtles, the European red deer, bears, rodents, wolves, foxes and large swans from thousands of years ago are exhibited in the museum set up just above the Għar Dalam cave.
Stalactites hanging from the roof of the cave and gigantic stalagmites positioned on the cave’s floor provide for a wonderful sight and make this prehistoric cave a definite site to visit.
The major influence on the language is Semitic coming from Maghrebi Arabic, a variety of Arabic which in itself borrows much from the Latin tongue. Additional words and modes of pronunciation were introduced along the years as different rulers took over the Islands. Therefore there is also a strong influence from Romance. Both Semitic and Romance variations of a word are used interchangeably in many cases permitting the language to be versed in both forms.
The alphabet in use is basically the Latin alphabet, with minor introduction of a few other letters, unique to the Maltese alphabet, to suit the phonetics. Linguists regard the Maltese language as the only Semitic language written in the Latin alphabet.
Today both Maltese and English are recognized constitutionally as the official languages of the Maltese Islands. Italian was once the third language of the country but is today no more recognized as such. Nonetheless it is widely spoken and understood by a great majority of the Maltese citizens.
The Maltese language is an official language of the European Union.
The structure is easily accessible and free for UK residents with permanent residency on the Island. This permit is issued by the Office of the Prime Minister. For temporary residents with an extended visa there is an 85% reduction in fees after expiry of the initial 30 days of their stay in Malta. During the first 30 days medical care is completely free.
Malta does not go into hibernation and the night keeps on living even in winter. With the thousands of restaurants dispersed all over the Island, cinemas, discotheques, a casino and a multitude of other entertainment establishments the choice is limitless.
Through the whole four months extending from June till September the most popular beaches are crowded with people enjoying the clear sea and some tranquil sunbathing on the long stretches of sand amidst picturesque settings. Quieter places are abundant as well with sheltered beaches and hidden coves scattered all over and sometimes accessible only by sea.
The action on Maltese beaches includes the pleasures of windsurfing and sailing, or some adventurous water skiing and jet skiing. Diving and snorkeling are other popular activities which are easily accessible in Malta. The marvelous crystal clear waters and unique fauna of the Islands make it a very popular destination for memorable scuba diving which gifts the diver with spectacular underwater scenery and an undisputed submerging experience.