Must visit this week: Birgu (and don't miss the chance to see it lit up by hundreds of candles!)
Discover one of the most beautiful and most historic cities in Malta and catch the great events that celebrate it. Discover Birgu.
Birgu - what a special place! Steeped in history and local culture, the city deserves to be lauded. Every street corner, every building, every stretch of its fortifications, every church, every turn brings you a new chapter of its vivid and colourful story.
Perched on a peninsula jutting out into the picturesque Grand Harbour, alongside Bormla (Cospicua) and Isla (Senglea), Birgu (Vittoriosa) is one of the grand Three Cities of the Knights of Malta. Fort St Angelo commands pride of place, flanked by superyachts at the Grand Harbour Marina that embraces the Birgu Waterfront. But while contemporary luxury may creep up to Birgu's walls, within them, little has changed since its inception.
The first city of the Knights of Malta
Birgu was the city of the Knights of Malta before they built the city of Valletta across the harbour following the Great Siege of 1565. It was here that the Great Siege of Malta was waged and won, hence the city's other name ‘Vittoriosa’ - the victorious.
Prior to the arrival of the Knights, Birgu existed as a small township sprawling outside the fort - il-borgo del castello. But the seafaring Knights had no use for the existing capital, Mdina, so far inland, and instead fortified Birgu and the surrounding area and made it their home.
A living history
Now, the opulence of Valletta’s baroque architecture and any palaces the Knights have built demonstrates their love of grandeur. There is nothing humble about anything the Knights created and constructed, and that goes for Birgu as well. The apparently haunted Inquisitor’s Palace is one such example. Some of the Auberges of the Knights also survive.
What's more, a walk through the winding narrow streets of the the 16th century city gives the impression of still being in that age; little has changed. What makes Birgu unique is that, while Valletta has become commercialised and Mdina rather touristic, Birgu remains authentic. Bar the carefully tended flower pots and odd little shops, you could almost imagine being immersed right in that era as if by a time machine.
Birgufest & Birgu by Candlelight
Any time is a good time to visit Birgu. More so when either of the two parishes dedicated to St Dominic and to St Lawrence have their annual feast; this is a wonderful opportunity to experience the odd rivalry between parish-goers as to whose feast is the most beautiful - local culture at its best.
But when the city is lit up with nought but candles; when its history comes alive with all sorts of reenactments; when the huge doors of family homes are flung open for all to peer inside and marvel at their contents and architecture, it’s something else. And that’s not neglecting the extended time and free entry to museums and other places of interest.
What began as a small local event has turned into an annual national event. Birgufest truly highlights Birgu’s historic and architectural beauty, with Birgu by Candlelight highlighting the atmosphere of the city in bygone times.
As with every Maltese celebration, expect also food stalls in abundance and loud music entertainment in the main square. Now this is a fantastic occasion to mingle with the locals!
This year, Birgufest and Birgu by Candlelight are happening on 12th-14th October.