About Malta
Malta has often been referred to as the island of sunshine and history and with good reason. For, throughout your stay in Malta you will find a surfeit of both.
Malta's history was, in a sense, pre-destined for it by its excellent natural harbour and
strategic location. The harbour provided a sheltered base for naval fleets whilst the island itself, situated at the cross-roads of the medierranean, enabled its colonising power to exercise control over shipping in this vast and turbulent sea. Hardly surprising therefore, that Malta has always exerted an irresistible attraction to the world military powers of successive epochs. Control over Malta was a prerequisite to domination of the Mediterranean and for this reason all the various powers that, at one time or other, held sway over the Mediterranean at the same time exercised control over Malta. The long list of Malta's colonizers,
the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Norman's, Castillans, Knights of St. John, the French, and finally, the British is indicative of the important role Malta played in the moulding of European and Mediterranean history. The list of important visitors to the island, from the Apostle Paul to Napoleon and Nelson is equally impressive. It is no exaggeration therefore, that Malta's history is a good starting point for a study of the history of the region.
If you want to enjoy Malta soak up its history. History, in Malta, stares you in the face and you cannot escape from it. The good thing is that you will enjoy its captivating intensity.
History of Malta
The intelligent visitor is never satisfied with just skimming the surface of this holiday destination. His appetite for learning urges him to delve deeper into the origins and history of the country and the people he is visiting. In this respect few other countries provide as much satisfaction as Malta, for the island is steeped in history. Every square inch of its land and its temples and monuments bear witness to a civilization which, in may ways, is unparalleled.
In spite of its small size Malta's strategic location, at the cross-roads of the Mediterranean, has played a very important role in the vicissitudes of the region, right from the early days of civilization up to the present times.
All the various periods of Malta's history make fascinating reading, but there are two particular periods - the neolithic period and the period of the Knights of St. John - which stand out from the rest because they are unique to Malta. On their own the remains of these two periods constitute a good enough reason to visit Malta.
Until recently, the Egyptian pyramids
were thought to be the oldest architectural monuments in existence. Recent archaeological research however, has shown that the earliest Neolithic temples on Malta are about 1000 years older than the famous pyramids of Giza. Huge rocks, several tons in weight were used in the construction of these temples. Even with modern techniques and tools this would not be an easy task today. How these enormous loads were moved, or even lifted, 5000 or 6000 years ago, remains a mystery.
The earliest temples, such as the one at Ggantija on Gozo, were built by the piling go huge rocks on top of each other. They did not have any carving or decoration. Later temples, such as the one at Hagar Qim, in Malta were made of huge stones fitting very closely together and ornately decorated.
Carving was done with only very primitive flint and obsidian tools. No archaeological remains made of metal from this period have been discovered on Malta. One theory is that this prehistoric people did not use metal because they foresaw, in it Equally strange and mysterious are the cart ruts found on many of the rocky ridges in Malta. The most popular theory is that these were made by primitive slide-carts used before the invention of the wheel.
Nightlife in Malta
Malta has a very diverse nightlife, especially in the St. Julian's area. A wide variety of night clubs, discos and restaurants are available to suit everybody. One may spend the day bathing in any of the numerous beautiful bays and beaches, and the night partying away in any of the popular discos / nightclubs. Closing times are usually in the early hours of the morning, with prices very competitive varying between establishments. The minimum age for alcohol consumption and entrance into areas of entertainment is 16.