Adopted by Lone Oak Baptist Church.
Adopted by the Qormi prayer group on 1st January 2004.
Adopted by First Baptist Church, Richmond.
In Rabat there are lots of historical and religious sites to see: St. Paul's catacombs and St. Agatha's catacombs are underground sites where it is said that Christians used to meet to pray and hold services. The catacombs also served as burial chambers and some remains can still be seen today.
St. Paul's catacombs, believed to be close to the grotto where St. Paul spent three months in Malta (see Acts 27 and 28), is only a two-minute walk from St. Agatha's catacomb with its underground chapel and superb frescos preserved by the local priests.
The Roman Villa is another site of historical interest; its typical Roman architecture and layout provides us with inumerable relics as well as a superb mosaic floor.
As you walk through the back streets of Rabat it is easy to imagine that time has stood still in this place - children play in the old winding streets and you may even see an intinerant vendor plying his wares from the back of his pony-drawn cart.
A quiet country-side suburb of Rabat called "Tal-Virtu'" (of Virtue) hosts a seminary where young men are trained to be Catholic priests.
Rabat Weblinks
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Adopted by Ards Evangelical Church in Northern Ireland on 29th October 2002.
In the centre of Victoria, we find 'The Citadel', sometimes referred to as the Gran Castello or the Cittadella. The Citadel is similar to a castle - a small but heavily-fortified area.It was used by many of the inhabitants on the island when for many centuries pirates used Gozo's small harbours for shelter and raided the island in search of fresh produce and water.
The pirates would also take the inhabitants captive in order to sell them as slaves. Whenever the inhabitants discovered the landing of their enemies, in order to save themselves and their families they would flee to the highest central point on the island, the Citadel.
The walls that we see standing today are those of the Knights, which were reinforced after their victory in the Great Siege of 1565 against the Ottoman Turks.
Inside the city walls is the magnificent Cathedral built by the design of Lorenzo Gafa' between 1697 and 1711. Inside this Cathedral is a magnificent painting by Italian artist Antonio Manuele Poggo, a trompe l'oeil in that gives the illusion of a vast dome, as the roof is actually flat.
Inside the Citadel are several small yet fascinating museums including the Cathedral Museum, the Archaeological Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Folklore Museum. There is a craft centre and lace workshop housed in the old prison buildings. To the north, the battlements provide spectacular views across the island. Unfortunately an earthquake in 1693 damaged many of the medieval buildings within these walls, which are now being restored.
Victoria is also well known for its lively morning market held in Independence Square each day. Vendors set up their stalls by draping canvas across metal frameworks and lay their wares out on tables. There are many different kinds of stalls; clothes, CD's, toys, crafts. The market is patronised by Maltese housewives from the surrounding villages in search of bargains, as well as curious tourists.
Rabat (Gozo) Weblinks
Please note that these links are provided for informational purposes, and their inclusion here does not mean that we endorse their content. Problems? Contact the webservant.
The name Rabat, means "town" or "suburbs", and the village actually surrounds the city of Mdina. In times past, Rabat was actually part of Mdina, but then the two were split so that Mdina could be better-fortified and more easily defended against pirate raids.
Gozo's capital Rabat was re-named in 1897 to Victoria, in honour of the British Queen. However it is still referred to as Rabat by many Maltese people, and is listed as Rabat in Maltese offical documents.