A history of Valletta
Founded by Grand Master Jean Parisot de la Valette in 1566, who gave the city his name, Valletta was Malta’s tiny capital, built by the Knights of St John in the late Renaissance period.
One of the greatest military and moral forces of modern Europe, they maintained the city over the following two and a half centuries. Valletta was one of the first planned cities, with streets laid-out in grids to allow the sea breeze to blow down the straight roadways and cool them.
The city was also purposely built as a fort, with fortified bastion walls at its perimeter facing the two beautiful natural harbours – Grand Harbour and Marsamxett.