Just a 5-minute sail from Birgu, Valletta is a treasure trove of baroque architectural gems and history. At the peak of the Order's settlement in Valletta, the city was home to eight Auberges of the Order's Langues. With 24 churches and chapels, St John's Co-Cathedral is without a doubt the most magnificent, featuring the sole signed masterpiece painted by Caravaggio in the world. With the departure of the Knights in 1798, Valletta bore witness to a turbulent period that witnessed the arrival of Napoleon, the Second World War and an extended British rule.
Today, Valletta is the isle's cultural, administrative and historical heart, and was the European Culture Capital of 2018.
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