Victoria, Malta

The Citadella

:''For Rabat on Malta Island, see Rabat, Malta

Victoria (also called Rabat) is the capital of Gozo, an island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The town has a total population of about 6000.

Victoria is the name given in 1887 by the British. However it is often still referred to by Gozitans by its old name, Rabat. The area around Victoria, situated on a hill near the centre of the island, has been settled since Neolithic times.

In the heart of Victoria lies the Citadella, the ancient walled area of the city. It was originally built by the Romans and improved significantly by the Arabs. The name Rabat was given to the city by the Arabs, which in Arabic and archaic Maltese stands for "suberb".

Inside the Citadella lies a fine 17th century baroque cathedral designed by Lorenzo Gafà, the Maltese architect who also built the cathedral of Mdina. It is said that it lies on the site where a Roman Temple dedicated to Juno once stood. It is most famous for the remarkable trompe l'oeil painting on its ceiling, which depicts the interior of a dome that was never built.

External links

* Ministry of Gozo - Victoria
* Visit Malta - Citadella and Victoria