Happy festa! Heritage Malta opens four historical sites for Independence Day

If there’s one thing Malta’s got an abundance of, it’s history.

Spanning thousands upon thousands of years in the past, very few things are more interesting than learning about the islands’ rich heritage – the only issue is finding the time to do so.

Lucky for you history buffs, Heritage Malta announced that it will be opening up not one, not two, but four of its sites to the general public this coming Tuesday, that is Independence Day, even though the day falls outside of the sites’ normal opening hours.

The four locations are as follows: Fort St Angelo, the National Museum of Archaeology, St Paul’s Catacombs, and the Palace Armoury.

All you have to do is take your pick!

St Paul’s Catacombs in Rabat transport visitors back to the mysterious medieval period. This site represents the earliest and largest archaeological evidence of Christianity in Malta, and legend has it that this cluster of catacombs was once connected with St Paul’s Grotto. Cool, right?

Credit: Heritage Malta

Housed at the Auberge de Provence, the National Museum of Archaeology will take you all the way to Malta’s gorgeous capital city. This museum displays a collection of prehistoric tools and artistic representations spanning from the 5th to the 1st millennium BC.

This spot also happens to be housing the famous Has Saflieni Hypogeum skulls until the end of the year – so go check them out whilst you still have time!

Credit: Heritage Malta

A couple of steps away from the Archaeology Museum is the Palace Armoury – a site showcasing the sheer wealth of the Knights of St John.

There you can catch a glimpse of Grandmaster Wignacourt and la Valette’s suits of armour, weapons used by the Ottoman Empire during the Great Siege, and a selection of artillery pieces.

Credit: Heritage Malta

Last but surely not least is Fort St Angelo, standing mighty across the Grand Harbour.

Throughout the country’s history, no other fortress has been engaged with the same intensity of shaping Malta’s destiny. Nowadays, Fort St Angelo is considered as the boldest memorial of the strategic important of the islands.

Credit: Heritage Malta