Malta
Malta consists of several islands but I only saw Valletta, the main city and Mdina, an ancient fortified city in the centre of the main island. I was expecting a fortress because I'd seen photos of Valletta but the whole peninsula on which it sits is fortified by natural and constructed walls. rising straight up from the sea... a formidable sight.
I wanted to go to Malta to see the two Caravaggio (1573 - 1610) paintings there. He painted them while taking orders as a Knight, a few years before his death. I liked St Jerome but the other painting, Beheading of St John was not as impressive .. or possibly I didn't enjoy it as much because it is high on a wall above an alter and hard to see. You cannot get closer to it than 25 or 30 feet. No photography is allowed, so I have no record of my visit. The co-cathedral in which they are housed has a very impressive Baroque interior.
The Jesuit Church has an extraordinary painting by Stephano Erardi (1630 - 1716), born in Malta of Sicilian parents. The painting is titled The Martyrs of Nagasakii and depicts the crucifixion of three Jesuit missionaries (Paolo, Giovanni and Giacomo) who were martyred in 1597. This event was news to me but is apparently not a surprise to Roman Catholics because there is a day in the religious calendar to commemorate it. There is also a memorial in Japan
There were many more churches of interest and as most of Valletta is pedestrianised, it is a great city for walking. Some of the streets are extremely steep but it is possible to avoid these. One of my favourite things about Malta was the collection of brightly coloured old buses - all operating - which link the island. They are beautifully maintained and the exteriors polished with chrome gleaming. I had to stop myself from becoming a 'kid' .. I wanted to make a list of all the types with accompanying photos. Luckily, I came to my senses after taking several photos.
The city is busy during the day but the resident population is only 7,000 and the place is fairly dead at night .. at least it was in mid December.
I wanted to go to Malta to see the two Caravaggio (1573 - 1610) paintings there. He painted them while taking orders as a Knight, a few years before his death. I liked St Jerome but the other painting, Beheading of St John was not as impressive .. or possibly I didn't enjoy it as much because it is high on a wall above an alter and hard to see. You cannot get closer to it than 25 or 30 feet. No photography is allowed, so I have no record of my visit. The co-cathedral in which they are housed has a very impressive Baroque interior.
The Jesuit Church has an extraordinary painting by Stephano Erardi (1630 - 1716), born in Malta of Sicilian parents. The painting is titled The Martyrs of Nagasakii and depicts the crucifixion of three Jesuit missionaries (Paolo, Giovanni and Giacomo) who were martyred in 1597. This event was news to me but is apparently not a surprise to Roman Catholics because there is a day in the religious calendar to commemorate it. There is also a memorial in Japan
There were many more churches of interest and as most of Valletta is pedestrianised, it is a great city for walking. Some of the streets are extremely steep but it is possible to avoid these. One of my favourite things about Malta was the collection of brightly coloured old buses - all operating - which link the island. They are beautifully maintained and the exteriors polished with chrome gleaming. I had to stop myself from becoming a 'kid' .. I wanted to make a list of all the types with accompanying photos. Luckily, I came to my senses after taking several photos.
The city is busy during the day but the resident population is only 7,000 and the place is fairly dead at night .. at least it was in mid December.
Mdina
Mdina is a very interesting walled city with a large cathedral and many ancient buildings. It was the headquarters for the Knights of Malta before they built the 'new' city of Malta in the 1650s. Why the Knights did not feel secure here is a mystery to me. Beautiful day and I enjoyed the sun so much that after a visit to the Cathedral, I gave the museums a miss .. enjoyed exploring the old city and the great views out over the countryside.
Photo Gallery
To see a full version of the slide show, double click on the image to the right.
The fine print
For more information on the Martyrs of Nagasaki, see http://www.26martyrs.com/
It seems there were total of 26 martyrs and there is a detailed historic record of the event.
It seems there were total of 26 martyrs and there is a detailed historic record of the event.