MDINA - THE SILENT CITY

If Valletta, the Capital City of Malta, is described as a 'City for Gentlemen', then by right Mdina is the 'Silent City', the oldest city of the Island, going back to the Pre-historic times. The word Mdina derives from the Arabic word 'medina' which means 'city'. But the present Mdina is smaller than the city which was inhabited by Phoenicians (800 B.C.), the Carthaginians and the Romans (after 218 B.C.). Already in Phoenician times, the presence of the town was mentioned in written records. During Roman times, the city included a large part of present day Rabat, the suburb of Mdina. It had the name of 'Melite', the same as the Island, and was the seat of the Roman Governor. The ubiquity of the city - on a hill in the centre of the island of Malta- made it an excellent site for defense.

The Arabs (870-1127 A.D.)

It is certain that either during the Byzantine or during the Arab occupations of Malta, the fortifications were retracted to the present proportions, perhaps for better defensibility. It is during this time, when the city was refered to as the 'medina', that Mdina got its name. The Arab legacy continued even though the Arabs were officially expelled from Malta in 1250 when the Islands were under Christian rule. Thus the name 'Mdina' survived even though the City was referred to as 'Civitas' (city in Latin) or 'Citta Notabile'.

The Later Middle Ages (1250-1530)

When the Maltese Islands fell back under Christain rule, Mdina was the capital city of the island and the seat of the 'Consiglio Popolare', the local Government which had limited jurisdiction over local affairs and responded to the Viceroy in Sicily. The nobles, who were the ruling elite, lived in Mdina, overlooking their farmlands beneath the city. It was adequately protected by walls to withstand sieges, like the attack by the Moors in 1429. A legend says that during this siege, St. Paul, the Patron Saint of Malta who introduced the Christian doctrine to Malta, appeared brandishing his sword and made the Moors flee. Another legend says that to show off, the Moors sent in their bread to the besieged Maltese. In reply the Maltese sent back all the loafs with a pice of cheese on each loaf. Together with the castle at Borgo, the maritime city in what is today's Grand Harbour, they were the only defense of the populace against Muslim and pirate attacks which plagued the islands for hundreds of years. During the Middle Ages Mdina was the centre of attraction of the island - the most important events occured or originated from there.

The Knights of St. John (1530-1798)

Mdina, depites all its splendour was not an ideal general headquarters for the Order of St.John which had a fleet to take care of. This led to a shift of attention from Mdina to port-city of Borgo, and then to the new city named Valletta, after Grand Master La Valette. However the city's defences were not neglected. In 1551 they withstood a Turkish attack. Valletta was built after the hard won victory over the Turks during the Great Siege of 1565, and it became the new capital city. During the Siege there was only one half-hearted attempt to attack the City and the Turks retreated without firing a shot. Mdina acted as an important base in the lines of communication between the Grand Master in Borgo and Sicily from where Christian reinforcements had to be sent.

With the arrival of the Knights of St. John, the Maltese nobles became powerless and lived away from the bustling ports in their quite city. Many left forever to Sicily before the Great Siege began. The population of Mdina plummeted during the stay of the Knights while the population of the Maltese Islands grew steadily. Grand Master Garzes gave special rights to residents to boost its population, but to no avail. It was the final blow to the majestic city. In 1693 a big earthquake hit Sicily and Malta, and large parts of Mdina, including the Cathedral, were destroyed. Many buildings which stand today were built after the earthquake.

The rebellion against the French (1798-1800)

The French General Napoleon Bonaparte conquered the Islands on the 9th of June 1798 and ousted the Knights. Mdina capitulated without much resistance. Three months later, Mdina was the scene of the beginning of the rebellion against the French whom the Maltese regarded as oppressors. The commander of the City, Masson, was hurled down from the balcony of a house in which he sought refuge. All members of the French garrision were massacred. The French capitulated on the 5th of September 1800 to the British forces who came in aid of the Maltese.

During the British colonisation (1800-1964)

Mdina's silence became a sacred characteristic of the city, only to be disturbed by the Italian and German bombs which fell on a nearby airfield during World War II. Today Mdina is a major tourist attraction recognised internationally as an important heritage site.

Photograph:	Wilfred L. Camilleri, June 1995
Write-up:	Martin Debattista, February 1996

Return to Previous Page