A bronze figure strides out from a stone cross, one hand holding a plan and the other resting on a sword. He is the founder of the city around him, and the statue is placed almost on the spot where the founding began.
The statue
The monument was created by the Maltese sculptor Joseph Chetcuti and stands in the middle of Pjazza Jean de Valette, a new square next to St Catherine’s Church. It shows Jean de Valette as he appeared when he held the post of 49th Grand Master of the Order of Malta. He wears his armour under a tabard, with the city plan in his right hand and his left hand on the victory sword.
The pedestal is made in the form of a Maltese Cross, and the figure seems caught in motion, as if the Grand Master is about to take a big step. The sculptor wanted to give the statue a specific character, that of the man who led Malta through the Ottoman sieges. Chetcuti presented Valette as gallant and strong-willed, with his figure rising above obstacles.
The statue is made of silicon bronze. It weighs 750 kilograms and is 2.5 metres high.
The founder of the city
Jean Parisot de Valette was a French nobleman, and a soldier by temperament. He fought against the Ottomans as a Knight Hospitaller, and as Grand Master he led the defence during the Great Siege of 1565. His leadership gave hope to the people and the soldiers, and the island’s eventual victory made him a hero.
In 1566 he laid the foundation stone of the new city, which took his name. The stone was placed only a few metres from where the statue now stands. He died in 1568 while the city was still being built, so he never saw it finished. Valletta’s people nevertheless kept him in memory, and the statue is part of that tradition.
The square
The square itself is recent. After wide-scale construction works in the area, a new open space was created, named Pjazza Jean de Valette, and the statue was placed at its centre. The location puts the founder next to the church and close to the main entrance to the city, which is symbolically fitting: those who walk in through the gate meet the man who planned what lies beyond.
Look at the contrast between the modern square and the older buildings around it. The paving and open sightlines are new, while the church and the bastion walls nearby date from the earliest years of Valletta.
Reading the details
Walk around the bronze before moving on. The face is set and serious, the stance is forward, and the folds of the tabard suggest movement. The plan in his hand is a reminder that Valletta was one of the first planned cities in Europe, laid out on a grid for defence, ventilation and views.
The Maltese Cross at the base appears in many places across the island, from church doors to buses, and here it makes the symbolism clear. Notice the weight and depth of the bronze: from some angles the figure appears larger than the statistics suggest.
Fitting it into a walk
The monument is a short stop on a longer walk through Valletta. The Grandmaster’s Palace, the site of the Royal Opera House and the Valletta City Gate are all within a few minutes, so the statue can serve as a starting point or a pause.
Early morning is the quietest time, before the main streets fill. The late afternoon sun lights the bronze nicely and makes it easier to photograph. In summer, bring water; the square has little shade.
A note on the setting
Valletta is a city of statues, plaques and carved coats of arms, and a visitor can easily pass this one without a second glance. It is worth slowing down because it is the only monument in the city dedicated to the man who gave it his name. Most of the other grand figures in town are rulers, saints or politicians of later centuries.
Stand with your back to the church and look toward the main streets. The view shows how the founder’s grid was meant to open from this end of the peninsula, with the sea on both sides. It is a small observation, but it ties the statue to the city’s layout.
Practical points
The square is open at all times and is free to enter. The ground is flat, which suits pushchairs and wheelchairs. There is no seating dedicated to the statue, but cafés a short walk away provide a place to sit. Read a plaque or a guidebook if you want details about the Grand Master’s career, since the statue itself carries little text.
A good plan is to see the monument first, then continue down Republic Street to the palace, and finish at the Upper Barrakka Gardens for the view over the harbour.
