Mdina is a fortified city in the Northern Region of Malta. It served as the island’s capital from antiquity to the medieval period. The city is still confined within its walls, and has a population of just under 300, but it is synonymous with the town of Rabat which has a population of over 11,000.
The city was founded as Maleth in around the 8th century BC by Phoenician settlers, and was later renamed Melite by the Romans. Mdina saw a revival in the early 18th century with the addition of many Baroque features.
Mdina remained the centre of the Maltese nobility and religious authorities and its popular nickname is the “Silent City”. It is also on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and one of Malta’s main tourist attractions.
The plateau on which Mdina is built has been inhabited since the Bronze age, with the Phoenicians and Romans both calling this area home. Very few remains of the Punic-Roman city survive today. The most significant are the ruins of the Domvs Romana. Remains of the podium of a Temple of Apollo, fragments of the city walls and some other sites have also been excavated.
