A
Brief Information about the City of Victoria.
Victoria, locally
known as Rabat, meaning suburb of the Citadel, in the
Arabic language, is the capital city of the island of
Gozo. It is situated precisely in the centre of Gozo.
The name of this city was given after the English monarch
Queen Victoria in 1887 in her golden jubilee year. Victoria’s
main square is Pjazza Indipendenza, which is locally
known as it-Tokk. The main building dominating this
square is the Banca Giuratale which presently is of
the Victoria Local Council. An open market is held every
morning right in the centre of the square, accompanied
with several open air cafés.
Within this city in the main street,
one can also find Villa Rundle Public Gardens, also
known as Il-Mall, which were created by the British
in 1910. These gardens hold a variety of local and imported
trees, which create peace and tranquility amongst the
busy town. Victoria’s main street is Republic
Street, which is also filled with shops, banks, theatres,
restaurants, Police Headquarters and the Bishop’s
Chancery. Besides this, within the city is the Bus terminus,
the principal point where all buses depart to any destination.
The Gozo General Hospital is another important building
situated within the limits of Victoria.
Gozo’s ancient citadel, often
also known as Gran Castello, is situated on a flat-topped
hill in the city of Victoria. One can see magnificent
views of the whole island from these ancient fortifications.
This strategic point is filled with impeccable views
of superb out rising village church domes, the Gordan
Lighthouse, and not forgetting the unmemorable countryside,
hills and valleys that occupy the island. Malta can
also been seen from a far distance. The Knights of St.
John have an important history, dealing with the citadel,
since they were the last to refortify this place with
the aim of constructing an appropriate refuge for them
and all the other inhabitants, and defend themselves
from the frequent invasions of the Turks and Corsairs
during those times. Nowadays, the central courtyard
of the citadel possesses the cathedral, Law Courts and
the Bishop’s Palace. Apart from these, within
the citadel there are also other interesting buildings
and Museums, which are the Cathedral Museum, the Museum
of Archaeology, the Folklore Museum, the Citadel Armoury,
the Gozo Crafts Centre, which once formed part of the
Gozo Prison courtyard, and finishing with the Old Prisons.
The Cathedral, dominating the citadel
all round, boasts of a fine Mediterranean baroque style
masterpiece in the form of the Latin cross. This unique
Cathedral is dedicated to the Assumption of Our Lady.
Within the citadel, located in Triq San Guzepp is a
small chapel dedicated to Saint Joseph. The façade
of this chapel is very simple.
Saint Martha chapel, also locally known
as tal-Ghonq and Saint Francis church are both situated
in the outskirts of Victoria. Saint George’s Basilica,
or rightly referred to as the marble basilica, is to
be found in the middle of Victoria, which is in the
centre of the old town.
|
