Mdina Things to Do

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The Carmelite Church and Priory was built between 1660 to 1675 and is attributed to the French architect Mederico Blondel. An impressive 1677 Stefano Erardi (1630-1716) painting of ‘The Annunciation’ hangs above the altar. There are also paintings by another Maltese artist Giuseppe Cali (1846-1930) the statue of the Virgin of Mount Carmel is regarded as a masterpiece.
The original wooden gilded altar is still in the Oratory.

Santa Sophia Palace is said to be the oldest building in Malta, the Palazzo Santa Sophia is in Triq Villegaignon and according to the plaque on the outside of the building it was built in 1233.
It is also said to be the oldest building in Mdina with windows overlooking the street. previously they looked on to an inner courtyard.

The upper floor was added in 1938

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The Gate was named after the small Greek community who lived in this area in the southwest of Mdina, the square here is named after St Nicholas, who is the patron saint of Greece.
Slaves who were not permitted to use the main gate were let in through this entrance.

The gate was restored by Grand Master de Vilhena

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The Mdina Cathedral stands on the site of a 13th c Norman church which was destroyed by the earthquake of 1693. It is also said to be the site of the villa of the Roman governor Publius that St Paul converted to Christianity in 60AD.
The present cathedral has an imposing façade and a magnificent dome and was designed by the Maltese architect Lorenzo Gafa (1638-1703) and was built between 1697 and 1702.
There are many fine features including the 1794 vault decoration by Vincenzo Manino, Mattia Preti’s painting ‘The Shipwreck of St Paul’ and the multi-coloured marble tombstone floor.

Entrance to the cathedral is included on the ticket to the Musem and must be bought at the museum

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Designed by engineer Charles Francois de Mondion (1681-1733) The Mdina Main Gate was built in 1724 under the ordes of António Manoel de Vilhena Grand Master from 1722-1736. they replaced a previous drawbridge gate.
The inner façade has statues of the three Maltese patron saints, St Paul, St Publius and St Agatha carrying palm fronds which symbolise their martyrdom.
There is an inscription and coat of arms commemorating Antonio Inguanez, who quelled a rebellion in 1428 .
On the outside is a Latin inscription giving the date and details of the gate and the de Vilhena coat of arms.

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Said to be one of the best religious museums in Europe, housing a beautiful collection of sacred art, famous paintings old coins, woodcarvings Roman antiquities as well and lots more. Located to the right side of the Cathedral the entrance ticket covers the entrance to the Museum and the Cathedral.

You are not allowed to take photo's inside the Museum

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St. Agatha's Chapel was built in 1411 and redesigned in 1694 by Lorenzo Gafa (1638-1703) after being damaged during the great earthquake of 1693. It was opened by the Bishop, Fra David Cocco-Palmieri in the presence of Grand Master Adrien de Wigancourt on the 26th june 1695
Legend has it that during a 1551 siege of Mdina, St Agatha appeared to a nun and directed that a procession should carry her image and display it on the bastion wall. After this was done, the Muslim forces lifted the siege.

St Agatha is one of Mdina's 3 patron saints

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The Palace was erected by Vilhena Grandmaster of the Order of St Jphn in about 1730 it is now a Museum of Natural History. Situated in St. Publius Square it replaced the Town Hall or Municipium of the local Government (the Universita') which had been constructed c. 1454.

Following an earthquake in 1693 Grand Master Vilhena took the opportunity to embellish the entrance way of the city and also to construct his Magisterial Palace.
In 1908 Palazzo Vilhena was transformed into a hospital being formally inaugurated by King Edward VII and named The Connaught Hospital after the King's brother the Duke of Connaught.
The hospital closed in 1956 and on 22 June 1973 the building was reopened as the National Musuem of Natural History. The Musuem display's collections of Insects, Birds and Shells. The Halls in the Ground gloor contain the sections of Skeletal Anatomy, Fish, Geology, Fossils, Minerals and Animals. The greater part of the exhibits are items of local origin. The display is highly instructive and detailed especially in the sections of geology and mineralogy but really is only of Interest to visitors that have a keen interest in wildlife or geology otherwise the €5 will seem very expensive.

€5 Entrance