Mdina: Malta’s Silent City, Mdina, Malta

Mdina is the Silent City that whispers its secrets when you visit Malta. Residents deserted the city after the 1565 Great Siege of Malta. The name Mdina comes from the Arabic word madīnah which means “town” or “city”.

From the moment you enter the main city gate, you are enclosed in its fortified walls. Whether you rode in a karozzin (a horse-drawn carriage) or walked across the bridge, you are transported back to the times of the Romans, Greeks, Byzantines, and Normans.

Founded by the Phoenicians, Mdina served as the capital of Malta from antiquity until the 16th century. In 1565, the Maltese named Valletta its capital after the Knights of St. Johns defeated the Ottomans’ attack on the island.

I visited Mdina in January as part of a five-day holiday in Malta. This island is located just 60 miles from Sicily.

Mdina is a world apart from modern Malta. Malta protected Mdina as a cultural treasure like the chef who preserves the summer’s bounty in a glass jar.

Due to its fortified walls and historic architecture, Mdina allows you to imagine life in the 16th century, when Charles François de Mondion rebuilt it in the Baroque style in 1724.

Since cars are restricted inside Mdina, modernity is an unwelcome visitor within its preserved walls. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).