The waterside of Valletta : Grand Masters, travellers and military men

Abstract

This essay traces the history and development of the waterside of Valletta, from the beginnings of the city, built by the Order of St John in the sixteenth century, up to the present day. Many of the descriptions of the Valletta Marina as it was in the past do not come down to use through the knights or in the words of the Maltese themselves, but in the diaries, letters, books, drawings and paintings of visitors to the island. During their travels, they recorded their personal experiences in order to share them with others, sometimes only with family and friends in their letters, but often seeking wider audiences in print and in framed canvases.