Mattia Preti
The cathedral vault's painter in his own canvases.
Matthew Axiak — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Kroton — CC BY 3.0 · Frank Vincentz — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Frank Vincentz — CC BY-SA 3.0
The national art museum in the Italian knights' auberge: Malta's art museum moved in 2018 into the Auberge d'Italie — the sixteenth-century seat of the Order's Italian langue — after a full restoration, and was renamed MUŻA, both an acronym of its Maltese name and the word for a muse. What distinguishes its display is that it does not arrange paintings chronologically but thematically, in four strands: the Mediterranean, the European, art and craft, and Malta in the world — so a Maltese work hangs beside a European one to be read in context, a bold arrangement rare in national museums. The collection holds Mattia Preti (who painted St John's Co-Cathedral's vault), Antoine Favray, Turner and Valentin de Boulogne, along with Maltese sculpture and silver. The building itself, with its courtyard and stairs, is part of the visit — and it is Valletta's quietest, least crowded museum.
The cathedral vault's painter in his own canvases.
Sixteenth-century courtyard and stairs.
Auberge d'Italie, Valletta
National Museum of ArchaeologyThe world's oldest stone architecture, explained in one hall: the National Museu2 minutes walk4.3
Upper Barrakka GardensMalta's best view, and free: the Upper Barrakka Gardens sit on Valletta's highes2 minutes walk4.6
Our Lady of Victories ChurchThe oldest building in Valletta, and the first thing built in it. Its foundation2 minutes walk4.6
St John's Co-CathedralA facade as severe as a fort and an interior that stuns whoever enters: the cath2 minutes walk4.9
Lascaris War RoomsThe Allied Mediterranean command post beneath Valletta's bastions: a tunnel netw3 minutes walk4.5The Knights' residences divided by language: an auberge for each langue (Italy, France, Castile, Aragon…) housing and feeding its knights — most are government buildings today, with the Auberge de Castille the Prime Minister's office.