Senglea, one of the Three Cities of Cottonera, is situated on a promontory into the Grand Harbour parallel to Vittoriosa on the east from which it is separated by Dockyard Creek. Before the arrival of the Order in 1530, Senglea was bare uncultivated land but Grand Master Philippe Villiers de L'Isle-Adam (1530-1534) and his eventual successor Jean de Homede (1536-1553) built palaces and gardens here whilst Claude de la Sengle (1553-1557) was largely responsible for the layout of this city that still bears his name.

Fort St Michael (designed by Perez but largely demolished a century ago in order to extend the dockyard) protected the landfront. The promontory itself was sometimes called Isola di San Michelle and the name L'isla still lingers today. Pietro Pardo extended the fortifications in preparation for the anticipated land and sea assault by the Turks in 1565 when a pontoon bridge enabled reinforcements to be rushed from Birgu and a massive Venetian-built chain closed the creek entrance. The valorous defence of Senglea was commanded by Fra de Robles who himself died bravely defending the ramparts of a city that earned yet another title of Citta Invitta.

Senglea became the most densely populated town of Europe but was almost totally destroyed by aerial bomardment in the Second World War as it was situated between the two Dockyards. Rebuilt to a similar pattern but with a central square around a historic statue of the Virgin Mary it is today a residential area, especially for workers in the adjacent shipyards.

Many historic houses were lost in the bombing including the traditional home of the Italian magician Cagliostro but salvaged statues still adorn the street corners. The rebuilt, somewhat over-powering, Church of Our Lady of Victories by Milanes replaces that of Bonnici of 1581 and further along the peninsula is St Julian's, designed originally by Lorenzo Gafà in 1716. A church dedicated to Our Lady of Portosalvo but also known as San Filippu and designed by the Maltese architect Carlo Vella in 1662 crowns the seaward side and was saluted by seafarers on their safe return to Malta. The extremity of high-bastioned Senglea Point has the small garden of Peace Haven with a famous eyed and eared Vedette or lookout that affords a wonderful panorama of Valletta and the Grand Harbour.

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