| MEDINA Medina was Malta’s medieval capital, with a history about 4000 years. It was home then, as now, to Malta’s noble families. Norman, Sicilian and Spanish made Medina their home from the 12th century. Medina is one of Europe’s finest examples of an ancient walled city, and unusual in its mix of medieval and baroque architecture. Today Medina has a quiet, restrained atmosphere in keeping with its noble past. Thats why its called as the ‘Silent City’.
Moreover, beyond the city’s walls, in the area known as ‘il-Bahrija’ (limits of Rabat), Punic remains were discovered, thereby suggesting the importance of the general region even to Malta’s earlier settlers.
But, more specifically, Mdina’s size is said to have been reduced by Malta’s Arab rulers, who added higher fortifications and a moat for greater protection of the city. The city’s appearance at that time must have been more like other Moorish fortresses found in Northern Africa. In fact, the very name ‘Mdina’ is a derivation from the Arabic ‘Medina’.
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