Rabat, Malta

Rabat and Mdina were originally one city in the center of the island of Malta. The Arabs dug a large ditch to separate the two and the Order of St. John turned it into a dry moat and built the massive walls that protect Mdina. The trick worked, because Mdina still retains its ancient charm while Rabat is more commercial.

The road that runs between the two has several fine statues, including one of St. Joseph and a World War II memorial.

St. Joseph

Base of the St. Joseph Statue

WWII Memorial

Also on the road is the Domus Romana, a museum dedicated to the Roman antiquities of the island. The museum is built on the foundations of a Roman house and has a Roman look about it.

Domus Romana

One amenity that we did not take advantage of is the Melita Trackless Train, which winds its way from the Domus Romana through downtown Rabat.

St. Joseph and the train

The town is crisscrossed by tiny streets which occasionally open up into piazzas of varying sizes. The biggest is just outside St. Paul's Church.

St. Paul's piazza

St. Paul lived in Rabat for about a month after he was shipwrecked on Malta. Many statues of him can be found throughout the city.

One St. Paul

Another St. Paul

More on Rabat in the next few posts, then onto Mdina!