Birgu
www.birgu.gov.mt
Vittoriosa, or Birgu, lies on
one of the promontories jutting into Grand Harbor, opposite
Valletta.
At its tip is Fort St. Angelo, perhaps the oldest
fortification on the Islands.
The strategic position of both fort and city over the
millennia has led some to call this area `the cradle of
Maltese history'.
Certainly settlers and rulers from the Phoenicians to the
British, all made use of the defenses here.
To honour the part played by the city of Birgu, Grand
Master La Valette renamed it Civitas Vittoriosa,
`Victorious Town'. Vittoriosa was the first home of the
Knights when they arrived in 1530. As such, it contains
many important architectural riches.
The Knights `auberges' (residence' inns), palaces and
churches here are older than those in Valletta.
Highlights include the Church of San Lawrenz, designed by
Malta's most prominent baroque architect, Lorenzo Gafa',
the Inquisitor's Palace, Fort St. Angelo and the Maritime
Museum.
