Portal:Malta
The Malta Portal
Malta, officially known as the Republic of Malta, is a small island nation comprising an archipelago of seven islands (Malta, Gozo (Għawdex) Comino (Kemmuna) Filfla, Cominotto (Kemmunett) Manoel, Selmunett (St.Paul's Islands)) in the Mediterranean Sea. A country of Southern Europe, Malta lies south of Sicily, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The country's official languages are Maltese and English. Roman Catholicism is the most practised religion. The islands constituting the Maltese nation have been ruled by various powers and fought over by many states for centuries. Malta has been a member state of the European Union (EU) since 2004 and it is currently the smallest EU country both in population and in area.
Selected Article
The Manoel Theatre (Teatru Manoel, in Maltese) is reputed to be Europe's third-oldest working theatre, and the oldest working theatre in the Commonwealth of Nations. Located on Old Theatre Street (Triq it-Teatru l-Antik) in Valletta, it is now Malta's National Theatre and home to the National Orchestra of Malta (Orkestra Nazzjonali). The Manoel Theatre is a small, six-hundred and fifty seat venue, with a lavish, oval-shaped auditorium, three tiers of boxes constructed entirely of wood and decorated with 22-carat gold leaf, and a pale blue, trompe-l'œil ceiling that resembles a round cupola. Hidden behind an austere facade that is fully in keeping with Valletta's Mannerist architecture, is a richly adorned, glorious Rococo interior. Despite numerous alterations over the years, it retains many of its old architectural features, such as the white Carrara marble staircase, shell-shaped niches, and Viennese chandeliers. Two water reservoirs beneath the floor create an acoustic environment that is so precise, that the hushed page-turnings of an orchestra conductor can be heard clearly throughout the auditorium. (more...) Selected Locality Marsaxlokk is a traditional and pictoresque fishing village located in the south-eastern part of Malta, with a population of 3,205 people. The village’s name comes from marsa, which means "harbour" or "bay" in Arabic, and xlokk, which is the local name for the dry sirocco wind that blows from the Sahara; it is pronounced mar-sa-shlok. Marsaxlokk is the foremost fishing village and, perhaps, the most picturesque seaside locality in Malta. Fishing nets are often spread on the quay to dry in the sun and, quite often, sturdy fishermen can be seen mending these nets. These activities, together with the modest houses by the quayside, lend the place charm and serenity. (more...) Selected Picture Photo credit: Inkwina
St. Agatha's Tower in Mellieħa is similar in style to the Wignacourt towers, though it was completed in 1649 during the magistracy of Grand Master Giovanni Paolo Lascaris to a design by Antonio Garsin. It is also known as the Red Tower due to the colour it is painted. Did you know
UNESCO World Heritage SitesCategories Select [►] to view subcategories
Malta topicsRelated PortalsThings You Can Do
Geography stubs · People stubs · Malta stubs in general
Help us categorize Maltese-related articles
Have a look at WikiProject Malta. Wikipedia in Maltese
Associated WikimediaThe following Wikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject:
Discover Wikipedia using portals | ||||||
.jpg)
