Vittoriosa Things to Do

The Inquisitor's Palace is seen on your right as you head down from the gates along the main street to Victory Square. It used to be the law courts or Castellania but then served as the seat for the 62 Papal Inquisitors who held office and resided here. Their role was to quell any unorthodox religious beliefs and to mediate in disputes between the GrandMaster or his knights and the local Bishop.
Many were totured and died at the hands of the Inquisitors and today in the museum here their cruel implements can be seeen as well as the dungeons - we gave this a miss it was far to nice outside for things of this nature!

Here's another view of the gates and bastions around Vittoriosa. These huge curtain walls surrounded each of the three cities. Just by these gates are a craft shop and a restaurant - Cafe Riche where you may want to get a snack as there are not many places to eat in the town itself. We ate in a tiny cafe in the main square but it was a bit of a squeeze!

Vittoriosa is a must see town for its charm and history associated with the Knights of St John. Vittoriosa, the oldest city in Malta was originally named Birgu - coming from an Italian word Borgo, meaning a little town. In reality Birgu was just a fishing village. The town was re-named Vittoriosa - the victorious city - after the success of the great siege of 1565 against the Turks when despite being beseiged for 3 months the city was not captured. The people of Birgu still like to call their town by its old name.however and you may see this on signs just to confuse you!

Leading out of the main square (away from the Collachio) you will come to the lovely waterfron tof Vittoriosa. The parish church of St Lawrence is here - built by Lorenzo Gaffa in the 17th century. Its interior is covered with red marble and frescos...but I liked its reflection in the water better ;-) The original building of St Lawrence Church is said to be the oldest Church in Malta dating back to 1090.

Just in front of St Lawrence church by the quayside is the Freedom monument - a little artifical hilly clump of bushes with a figure of a Maltese bidding farewell to a British Sailor. This monument was designed by Dom Mintoff, the Maltese Prime Minister who campaigned for a free Malta. The quay here is where the last British military ship - H.M.S. London - left in 1979 ending 180 years of Brisitish military presence on Malta.

This type of Norman architecture was known as Siculo- Norman or Chiaramonte style- similar to the norman house seen in Mdina. This building was the former Knights Hall. It is found at number 11 Triq it-Tramunana.

This is the main square in Vittoriosa - Victory Square. Its typical of many in Malta as a meeting place for young and old. In the square are the main political party clubs and the band club. We enjoyed a snack and a drink in the bar here too - Cafe Brazil.
In front of the band club is a statue of St Lawrence - built in 1880.

The Collachio is the Knights quarter of the city - here was where their auberges or inns were to be found.
Its a really peaceful corner of Vittoriosa -being residential and no shops or cafes here to detract from its charm.