The capital, Valletta, was built by order of the Grand Master of the Knights of St. John, Jean de la Valette, following the Great Siege by the Ottoman Turks (1565). Its location was chosen to dominate Grand Harbour, one of the world's finest natural harbours.
Valletta, built to plans of the Maltese architect Girolomo Cassar, was probably the first designed and executed new city built in Europe since the fall of the Roman Empire. The cost of raising the new city was contributed to by many of Europe's grateful, Christian monarchs.
While small to us, by mid-sixteenth century standards, Valletta was of typical size. Within its walls is located the greatest concentration of Malta's rich cultural heritage.
UNESCO, in 1980, named Valletta a World Heritage Site.