The first thing you notice about the Cittadella is that it rises. The streets of Victoria climb toward a hill, and above them a line of golden walls closes the horizon. Inside the gate, the noise of the town drops away, and you enter a small stone city with a cathedral at its centre.
A hill held for millennia
Gozo is the second largest island of the Maltese archipelago, in the north, and it draws visitors for its villages, churches, clear sea and the historic monument at its heart: the Cittadella. Archaeological investigation points to very early use of the hill. It was strengthened and extended by later peoples, including the Phoenicians, and became part of a Roman acropolis. In Roman times it was a privileged administrative centre with military and religious importance. Tradition places a temple to the goddess Juno on the spot where the cathedral stands today.
The tragedy of 1551
In 1551 Turkish attacks on Malta reached a peak. After failing to capture Malta, the Turkish fleet began a siege of Gozo, whose defences were weaker. The walls of the Cittadella could not resist, the fortification was ruined and the population of the island was taken into slavery. It is regarded as the most tragic page in the island’s history. It took almost fifty years to restore and resettle Gozo.
After the Great Siege of Malta was won, the Knights of St John rebuilt the Cittadella and enclosed it with walls that made it the most secure place on the island. Raids by Turkish and Berber pirates continued, and until 1637 a law obliged Gozitans to spend the night in the citadel for safety.
The cathedral
Within the walls stand the Baroque cathedral, the law court and the bishop’s palace. The cathedral was designed by the architect Lorenzo Gafà. During its construction money ran out, and there was no chance of building a dome. The Italian artist Antonio Manuele painted the flat ceiling so cleverly that it gives the impression of a dome when you look up from below.
The entrance is decorated with a statue of the Virgin Mary brought from Rome. Visit the interior quietly, since it is a working place of worship.
Museums in the walls
Several museums are located in the Cittadella: the Cathedral Museum, the Archaeological Museum, the Folk Art Museum, the Museum of Nature and the Gunpowder Magazine. Together they cover the island’s religion, archaeology, crafts and wildlife, and each is small enough to see in under an hour. The Old Prison is another site close to the cathedral.
Hours differ from museum to museum, so check before you go and pick the ones that interest you most.
Ramparts and restoration
The ramparts are the reason many visitors come. An observation deck gives a panorama of Gozo and of Victoria below, and the view shows the shape of the island, with villages, farmland and the sea beyond.
Parts of the citadel are in poor condition, and only the lower sections of some walls survive. Restoration of the fortifications and the central entrance began in 2008 and has been ongoing, so scaffolding or closed areas are possible.
Visiting well
Allow two to three hours for the walls, the cathedral and one or two museums. Go in the morning in summer, since the stone absorbs heat and the ramparts have little shade. Wear shoes with grip, because the paving is smooth and slopes. Dress modestly for the cathedral.
Victoria’s market streets at the foot of the hill are good for lunch afterwards, and the walk down is easy.
What to look at inside
Take your time in the lanes between the cathedral and the museums. The old houses, the courtyards and the stone paving give a sense of the small walled community that lived here for centuries. Look for the court building and the bishop’s palace on the main square, and for the lines of the old walls where they meet the later bastions.
The Old Prison and the Gunpowder Magazine are the most atmospheric of the small sites. They show a harder side of life in the citadel, with narrow cells and thick stone. The Archaeological Museum is a good companion if you are interested in the island’s prehistoric temples, since it holds finds from sites across Gozo.
