The Majestic City of Valletta - Above & Below Ground. 5 star Private Tour Activity - Malta Travel Guide

Overview

The Siege of Malta in 1565 mobilised the resources needed to create the city of Valletta, founded in 1566. The Knights of St John planned the city as a single, holistic creation of the late Renaissance, with a uniform grid plan within fortified walls.

Valletta, officially listed UNESCO World Heritage site since 1980, is one of the most concentrated historic areas in the world.

Tunnels

Under the main streets of Valletta, one can find various interconnecting tunnels, some over 500 years old. Soldiers used some tunnels to move between different parts of the city, while others were used for the storage of grain, water and drainage purposes. When the British occupied Malta, other tunnels were dug and used as shelters from bombs dropped over Valletta during World War Two, when Valletta residents had no other option but to go underground. It is estimated that the enemy dropped around 17,000 tonnes of bombs on the island.

Some have described these tunnels as a city under the city.