South Eastern Malta covers fifteen towns around the Grand Harbour and the southeast coast, from the capital Valletta and the fortified Three Cities to the prehistoric Hypogeum and Tarxien temples and the fishing port of Marsaxlokk.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped South Eastern.
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1
Tarxien temples built
Neolithic builders raise and enlarge the Tarxien temple complex on the Maltese plain, decorating it with spirals and animal reliefs.
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2
Hypogeum carved
The underground chambers of the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum are cut from the limestone and used for burials of thousands of people.
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3
Arab rule begins
Arab forces take Malta and rule it for about two centuries, leaving the Maltese language its Semitic base.
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4
Norman conquest
Count Roger of Sicily takes Malta, ending Arab rule and starting a long period of Sicilian and Aragonese control.
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5
Knights of St John arrive
Charles V grants Malta to the Order of St John, which makes Birgu (Vittoriosa) and Fort St Angelo its headquarters.
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6
Great Siege
An Ottoman force besieges Malta from May to September; Fort St Elmo falls on 23 June, but the Knights and Maltese hold Birgu and Senglea until the siege lifts on 8 September.
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7
Valletta founded
Grand Master Jean de Valette lays the foundation stone of Valletta on 28 March, on the Mount Sciberras peninsula.
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8
Order moves to Valletta
The Knights transfer their convent from Birgu to the new fortified city.
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9
French occupation
Napoleon takes Malta and expels the Knights; a Maltese uprising soon drives out the French garrison.
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10
British arrive
British forces take the French garrison's surrender at Valletta and Malta becomes a British possession, confirmed by treaty in 1814.
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11
Second World War siege
Axis air raids batter the harbour area; the George Cross is awarded to the island on 15 April 1942.
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12
Independence
Malta becomes independent from Britain on 21 September 1964; it becomes a republic in 1974.
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13
British forces leave
The last British forces leave on 31 March 1979, a date marked as Freedom Day.
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14
Valletta on the UNESCO list
The City of Valletta and the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum are inscribed as World Heritage Sites; the Tarxien temples are added to the Megalithic Temples of Malta listing in 1992.
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15
Malta joins the EU
Malta enters the European Union on 1 May 2004 and adopts the euro in 2008.
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16
European Capital of Culture
Valletta holds the title of European Capital of Culture for the year.
Historical eras
The chapters of South Eastern's past.
Prehistoric Temple Period
Temple builders create Tarxien and the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum.
Arab and Norman Malta
Arab and then Norman and Aragonese rule shape the language, towns and fortified harbour.
Knights of St John
The Order fortifies Birgu, wins the Great Siege of 1565 and founds Valletta.
French and British Malta
A brief French occupation gives way to British rule and a naval base in the Grand Harbour.
Independent Malta
Independence, republic status in 1974, the departure of British forces in 1979 and EU membership in 2004.
Historical sites
Places where South Eastern's past comes alive.
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
Underground Neolithic burial complex of chambers on three levels, cut from the limestone about 5,000 years ago.
Where: Paola
Admission: EUR 35 (USD 40.25) adult; EUR 20 (USD 23) youth or senior; EUR 15 (USD 17.25) child (6-11); children under 6 not admitted; last-minute ticket EUR 50 (USD 57.50)
Hal Tarxien Temples
Group of three Neolithic temples with carved spiral reliefs and a large altar room, excavated from 1913.
Where: Tarxien
Admission: EUR 6 (USD 6.90) adult; EUR 4.5 (USD 5.17) youth or senior; EUR 3 (USD 3.45) child (6-11)
Fort St Elmo
Star fort at the tip of Valletta that fell to the Ottomans on 23 June 1565 after a month's siege and later became part of Valletta's defences.
Where: Valletta
Admission: EUR 10 (USD 11.50) adult; EUR 7.5 (USD 8.62) youth or senior; EUR 5.5 (USD 6.32) child (6-11)
Fort St Angelo
Medieval castle at the tip of Birgu, enlarged by the Knights as their headquarters from 1530 and used by the Royal Navy until 1979.
Where: Vittoriosa (Birgu)
Admission: EUR 10 (USD 11.50) adult; EUR 6 (USD 6.90) youth, senior or student; EUR 4 (USD 4.60) child (6-11)
Inquisitor's Palace
16th-century palace that was home to the inquisitors who represented the Roman Inquisition in Malta until 1798.
Where: Vittoriosa (Birgu)
Admission: Price not published on the Heritage Malta page; see heritagemalta.mt/store
Collegiate Church of St Lawrence
Baroque church on the site of the Knights' first conventual church, rebuilt in the late 17th century.
Where: Vittoriosa (Birgu)
Admission: Free; donations welcome
Siege Bell Memorial
Memorial with a large bronze bell commemorating those who died in the Second World War siege of Malta.
Where: Valletta
Admission: Free
Fort Ricasoli
Large 17th-century bastioned fort guarding the entrance to the Grand Harbour from the Kalkara side, opposite Fort St Elmo.
Where: Kalkara
Admission: Entry price not published; see heritagemalta.mt
Santa Margherita Lines
Bastioned defensive wall built in the 17th century to protect the landward side of Cospicua and the Three Cities.
Where: Cospicua (Bormla)
Admission: Free to view from outside
Porte des Bombes
Monumental gateway in the Floriana Lines, built as an entrance to the landward fortifications of Valletta.
Where: Floriana
Admission: Free
Museums
Curated collections that tell South Eastern's story.
Historical tours
Guided experiences that bring history to life.