Vittoriosa (Birgu)

Vittoriosa (Birgu) is probably the nicest of the three peninsulas southwards of Valletta. The city was the first settlement around this area. When the Knights of St. John arrived in Malta in 1530 they set up camp in Vittoriosa and started to upgrade the fortifications, including the Fort St. Angelo. After the Great Siege of 1565 they moved to Valletta.

Birgu has nowadays a population of 3000 and the fortifications are as impressive as those of Valletta. Behind every corner you can discover something new. The best way to enter the city is through the ‘Couvre Porte’ which was restored in 2002. Above is a modern gate which breaks through the fortification of the ‘Poste de Provence’ and is used as a road for cars.

At the promenade of the Dockyard Creek there is the San Lawrenz Church, the Maritime Museum, the Casino di Venezia and Birgu Marina (Captains Pal If you follow this way you will get to a small bridge, which is the only connection to the Fort St. Angelo - at least for the moment, because a drawbridge is going to be constructed. The view on Valletta and the Grand Harbor is very nice from the fort.

On the other side of the peninsula there is a nice promenade high above the sea. The view is just fantastic from there on Valletta, Kalkara and the entrance of the Grand Harbor.

The small alleys are wonderful and offer historic scenery. In the centre is the Victory Square (Misrah ir-Rebha). On this square there are two statues. The white statue of St. Lorenz was constructed in 1880 and the green one which is representing the Great Siege of 1565 is known as the Victory Monument and was built in 1705.  

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