Malta

Discover Malta

Fun Foods

Pastizzi, Ftira, Timpana, Imqaret, Ross il-Forn, Kinnie

On the Maltese island of Gozo stand stone temples built about 5,600 years ago. That makes them older than the pyramids of Egypt.

Their name, Ġgantija, means “place of giants.” Local legend says a giantess named Sansuna built them with a baby on her shoulder, living on nothing but fava beans and honey.

Malta sits right in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and North Africa. That spot made it a prize.

Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs, and Normans all ruled it.

In 1530, the islands were handed to the Knights of St. John, an order of warrior monks. In 1565, the Ottoman Empire sent about 40,000 men to take Malta.

Around 700 knights and 8,000 soldiers held them off for four months until the attackers gave up.

The knights’ leader, Jean de Valette, then founded a new fortress city on the harbor. Today it’s Malta’s capital, Valletta, named after him.

In 1798, Napoleon’s army seized Malta and threw out the knights. The Maltese rebelled, and by 1800 the British had taken over.

During World War II, German and Italian planes bombed Malta almost nonstop, trying to starve it out. Food and fuel nearly ran out, but the island held.

In 1942, Britain’s King George VI awarded the whole island the George Cross, a medal for bravery. It’s still on Malta’s flag.

Malta became independent on September 21, 1964, and joined the European Union in 2004.

Walk the sandstone walls of Mdina, called the “Silent City,” where horse-drawn carriages still roll through narrow streets.

Ride a fishing boat into the sea caves of the Blue Grotto, where the water glows bright blue in the morning light.

Then explore Popeye Village, a movie set built in 1980 that’s now a family park overlooking Anchor Bay.

For food, grab pastizzi, flaky pastries stuffed with ricotta cheese or peas. For dessert, try imqaret, date-filled pastries.

Sources: Wikipedia: Ġgantija, Wikipedia: Award of the George Cross to Malta, and WorldStatesmen: Malta.