PLACES OF INTEREST IN RABAT, MALTA.
WALKS ACROSS RABAT
Yes, just walk across Rabat and you will see countless amount of beautiful places.
PARISH CHURCH OF SAINT PAUL
Amazingly beautiful Baroque church, built in 17th-century.
CASA BERNARD
This is 16th-century palazzo, which belonged to famous Maltese family.
CHURCHES AND CHAPELS
Among many places that are worth seeing in Rabat, Malta, churches and chapels deserve special attention being a cultural and religious heritage of the city. There is a list of the most famous churches and chapels, which have the most interesting history:
Church of St. Paul
There is a legend, which tells that St. Paul lived in that building for 3 months in 60 A.D. The church was built over the grotto and had large size. First the church has been spoken about in 1372. Near the church there was a cemetery. The modern church building appeared in 1575. The church got support from the Maltese Order. Moreover, this church is interesting because real art masterpieces have been preserved here. You can see a silver ship under a ceiling that was made specially to mark the date of 1900 of St. Paul’s arrival to Malta.
Bahrija rural church
This well-known rural church devoted to St. Martin saw the world in the 16th century thanks to its founder Count Navarra. Nowadays the church has become larger in size as Bahrija population had increased much. Many people choose this church to get married. Holy masses are regularly provided here as well.
There is a legend, which tells that St. Paul lived in that building for 3 months in 60 A.D. The church was built over the grotto and had large size. First the church has been spoken about in 1372. Near the church there was a cemetery. The modern church building appeared in 1575. The church got support from the Maltese Order. Moreover, this church is interesting because real art masterpieces have been preserved here. You can see a silver ship under a ceiling that was made specially to mark the date of 1900 of St. Paul’s arrival to Malta.
Bahrija rural church
This well-known rural church devoted to St. Martin saw the world in the 16th century thanks to its founder Count Navarra. Nowadays the church has become larger in size as Bahrija population had increased much. Many people choose this church to get married. Holy masses are regularly provided here as well.
St. Anthony the Abbot Church
At the moment the church is taken care of by the Augustinian Rabat friars. Church was founded in 1663 and got its name after St. Anthony the Abbot being built by Nicholas Cotoner. There was a period when it stopped working but in 1986 local people could visit it again.
Church of the Blessed Virgin
There are Dominican Friars and Franciscan Minors. As for the first ones, they founded the 1st friary where the Virgin Mary, as the legend says, was talking to a man that had taken refuge. As for the friary built by the Friars Minor this happened in 1492. Italy and Spain have much contributed into the reconstruction of the church.
At the moment the church is taken care of by the Augustinian Rabat friars. Church was founded in 1663 and got its name after St. Anthony the Abbot being built by Nicholas Cotoner. There was a period when it stopped working but in 1986 local people could visit it again.
Church of the Blessed Virgin
There are Dominican Friars and Franciscan Minors. As for the first ones, they founded the 1st friary where the Virgin Mary, as the legend says, was talking to a man that had taken refuge. As for the friary built by the Friars Minor this happened in 1492. Italy and Spain have much contributed into the reconstruction of the church.
WIGNACOURT MUSEUM
Baroque style building of the XVIII century is a home to the Wignacourt Museum, which previously was the Seminary for Chaplains.
CURABITUR CONVALLIS
The local council takes initiatives concerning further development in the sphere of education and has many projects in progress currently.
Roman Villa
The Roman Villa or Domus Romana is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Malta and is located in Rabat. It was discovered in 1881 and depicts how the Romans lived while they were ruling over Malta.
The most astonishing feature of the Roman Villa are the beautiful and fine Roman mosaic pavements found in the Peristyle and the surrounding rooms. The mosaics date back to the first century BC and were produced with extremely fine techniques created by highly skilled artists and are today one of the oldest arrangements from the western Mediterranean.
If you visit the centre of the courtyard, look out for a symbol of two birds resting on the edge of a bowl called the Drinking Doves of Sosos, originally from a painting by Sosos.
The most astonishing feature of the Roman Villa are the beautiful and fine Roman mosaic pavements found in the Peristyle and the surrounding rooms. The mosaics date back to the first century BC and were produced with extremely fine techniques created by highly skilled artists and are today one of the oldest arrangements from the western Mediterranean.
If you visit the centre of the courtyard, look out for a symbol of two birds resting on the edge of a bowl called the Drinking Doves of Sosos, originally from a painting by Sosos.
Another attraction is the Muslim tombstones located at the back of the Roman Villa Museum. The site was used as a burial ground during the Arab Period in Malta, during which time parts of the villa were destroyed.
In 1924, works started on the villa and a museum was built around it. Some beautiful marble statutes that used to decorate The Roman Villa while it belonged to the Romans are displayed here.
The museum in Rabat also displays terracotta ornaments, a draped female statue, glassware, bone hairpins, unguentaria and balsamari for oils and perfumes, rython (drinking vessel), statues of the imperial cycle, peristyle mosaic and decorative architecture.
The remains of the Roman Villa or Domus Romana in Rabat, Malta, now occupy the lower floor of the present building.
In 1924, works started on the villa and a museum was built around it. Some beautiful marble statutes that used to decorate The Roman Villa while it belonged to the Romans are displayed here.
The museum in Rabat also displays terracotta ornaments, a draped female statue, glassware, bone hairpins, unguentaria and balsamari for oils and perfumes, rython (drinking vessel), statues of the imperial cycle, peristyle mosaic and decorative architecture.
The remains of the Roman Villa or Domus Romana in Rabat, Malta, now occupy the lower floor of the present building.
