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VALLETTA, or VALETTA

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Originally appearing in Volume V27, Page 864 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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VALLETTA, or VALETTA , the See also:capital of See also:Malta (since 1570). Pop. (1901) 24,685; or 40,406, including suburbs. The See also:nucleus of the See also:city is built on a See also:ridge of See also:rock (See also:Mount Sceberras) which runs like a See also:tongue into the See also:middle of a See also:bay, which it thus divides into two harbours, the See also:Grand See also:Harbour to the See also:east and the Marsamuschetto to the See also:west, which are subdivided again by three other peninsulas into creeks. On two of these peninsulas on the east See also:side of the Grand Harbour, and at their See also:base, are built the aggregate of towns called the Three Cities—Vittoriosa, Conspicua and Senglea (see MALTA). On the See also:main promontory, with Valletta, stands the suburb Floriana; Fort St Elmo, with a lighthouse, stands on the extremity of the promontory; the suburb Sliema lies on the point which encloses the Marsamuschetto harbour; Fort See also:Ricasoli on the opposite point enclosing the east, Grand, or See also:Great Harbour. The streets of Valletta, paved with See also:stone, run along and across the ridge, and end on each side towards the See also:water in steep flights of steps. Many of the houses, which are of stone throughout, with See also:flat See also:roofs, are large and luxuriously built; wooden-covered balconies project from the windows and give a See also:peculiar aspect to the streets. There are several See also:fine public buildings, as the See also:governor's See also:palace, the new See also:opera-See also:house, the public library and museum of Maltese antiquities, and the auberges or lodges of the Knights of Malta (especially the Auberge de See also:Castile) which are now used for military offices, See also:club-rooms, and other purposes. See also:Roman See also:Catholic churches in Valletta are very numerous; the See also:cathedral of S. Giovanni, dating from 1576, is famous for its See also:rich inlaid See also:marbles, its See also:Brussels tapestries, its roof painted by Matteo Preti (1661-1699), the picture by See also:Michael Angelo da See also:Caravaggio of the See also:beheading of See also:John the Baptist, numerous memorials of the knights and other See also:relics. The governor's palace was formerly that of the grand See also:master of the Maltese See also:Order, and it also contains relics of the knights, tapestries, See also:armour, &c.

Extensive bagnios under the rock, formerly occupied by the slaves of the knights, are now used for stores. The knights strengthened Valletta and its harbour by bastions, See also:

curtain-walls, lines and forts, towards the See also:sea, towards the See also:land and on every available point, taking See also:advantage in every particular of the natural rock and of the marvellous advantages of situation, rendering it then almost impregnable. The See also:work of fortifying the See also:place has been carried on by the See also:British See also:government, which possesses here a See also:naval See also:hospital, military See also:prison and other necessary institutions. Since the British occupation Valletta has been a naval and military station of the first importance. The See also:dock and victualling yards occupy together an See also:area of some too acres spread over the shores on both sides of those arms of the great harbour known as " Dock-yard " and " See also:French " creeks, the dockyard being partly on the former, but principally on the latter See also:creek. In 188o the graving dock See also:accommodation consisted of one See also:double dock at the extremity of Dockyard creek, known as Nos. 1 and 2 Docks, with a See also:total length of about 525 ft. and with 25 ft. over the See also:sill at See also:average water-level, the tidal range at Malta being but slight; and opening into French creek a dry dock of more See also:modern construction, known as No. 3, or the See also:Somerset Dock, 427 ft. See also:long on See also:floor, and with 34 ft. over the sill. Subsequently to this See also:period the fine range of buildings known as the See also:iron See also:ship repairing See also:shop was erected See also:close to the Somerset Dock, and added greatly to the repairing resources of the yard. Dock No. 4, or the See also:Hamilton Dock, was completed in 1891, having a length on floor of 520 ft:, a width of entrance of 94 ft. and with 35 ft. , in. See also:depth over the sill at average water-level.

Associated with this dock was the construction of adjacent deep-water See also:

wharf walls, together with the great 16o-ton See also:crane. Among later additions were See also:gun-mounting stores, See also:boiler shop, See also:boat sheds, See also:canteen, See also:coal stores; &c., together with a double dock 750 ft. long over all, and a single dock 550 ft. long. The large transit See also:trade and the See also:local trade of the See also:island centre upon Valletta. The influx of See also:winter visitors adds to the See also:wealth of the city.

End of Article: VALLETTA, or VALETTA

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