City Gate — Attraction in Valletta

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City Gate (Maltese: Bieb il-Belt, literally "Door of the City") is a gate located at the entrance of Valletta, Malta. The present gate, which is the fifth one to have stood on the site, was built between 2011 and 2014 to designs of the Italian architect Renzo Piano. The first gate which stood on the site was Porta San Giorgio, which was built in 1569 to designs of either Francesco Laparelli or Girolamo Cassar. The gate was renamed Porta Reale (Maltese: Putirjal) in around 1586, before being rebuilt in 1633, probably to designs of Tommaso Dingli. It was briefly renamed Porte Nationale during the French occupation of Malta in 1798, but its name reverted to Porta Reale when Malta fell under British rule in 1800. In 1853, this was once again replaced by a larger gate, which was also known as Kingsgate or Kingsway. These first three gates were all fortified, forming part of Valletta's city walls. The gate was also informally called the Porta di terra (meaning "land gate") since it was the only landward approach to the city.

The last fortified gate was demolished in 1964, being replaced by a Futurist gate designed by Alziro Bergonzo. This gate was then demolished in 2011, and it was replaced by Piano's gate which was completed in 2014.

City Gate is located within the Porta Reale Curtain, a curtain wall at the centre of the Valletta Land Front, located between St. James' and St. John's Bastions. A bridge spanning across Valletta's deep ditch leads to the gate. The gate was originally protected by a couvre porte, an advanced ditch and a lunette known as St. Madeleine's Lunette.During British rule, the lunette was demolished and part of the advanced ditch was filled in. The site was later occupied by the bus terminus, with the Triton Fountain at the centre. The square around the fountain has been converted into a pedestrian area.

The gate marks the beginning of Republic Street (Maltese: Triq ir-Repubblika), Valletta's main street which goes all the way until Fort Saint Elmo at the opposite end of the city. The buildings in the immediate vicinity of the City Gate include the Parliament House, the ruins of the Royal Opera House and the City Gate Shopping Arcade. Saint James Cavalier and Saint John's Cavalier are located on either side of the gate, near the Parliament House and shopping arcade respectively.

City Gate was one of the three gates leading to the city – the others being the Marsamxett Gate and Del Monte Gate, on the western and eastern extremities of the city.Marsamxett Gate was demolished in the early 20th century, while Del Monte Gate was replaced by Victoria Gate in 1885.

First gate (1569–1633)

The original gate to Valletta was known as Porta San Giorgio, and was built during the reign of Grand Master Jean Parisot de Valette, after whom the city is named. Porta San Giorgio was possibly designed by Francesco Laparelli, the Italian military engineer who designed most of the fortifications of Valletta, or by his Maltese assistant Girolamo Cassar. Construction started in April 1566 and it was complete by 1569.The gate was rather plain in design, and was simply an unadorned small opening in the curtain walls.

A timber bridge originally linked Porta San Giorgio with the countryside across the ditch. Sometime before 1582, a stone bridge replaced the wooden one. The bridge itself was replaced a number of times, but its rock-hewn foundations remain intact and continue to support the present bridge.

In around 1586, during the reign of Grand Master Hugues Loubenx de Verdalle, the gate was renamed Porta Reale.In the late 16th century, a smaller outer gate was built and a triumphal arch was added above the original gate.

The second city gate was built in 1633, during the magistracy of Grand Master Antoine de Paule. This gate was more ornate than its predecessor Porta San Giorgio, and it consisted of a central archway with a smaller arch at each side, and a wooden drawbridge across the deep, dry ditch that lies immediately outside...

Beautiful place. Love Valleta. I go to Malta with my husband every year. Great experience staying here and if you have any interest in history the island has great museums, site etc. to visit. Amazinggg is the only word. Very big you can get a bus easy from the town out to it and home again City gate of the Valetta defense system but you can hardly recognize it with the banners pulled across the side of the bridge. A slight pity not to be able to feel this part of the majestic defense that they once we're Now this is impressive when you look at the defence of the old town it makes you think all people that worked on this over the years. How many people worked in building this. How many years did take to build the defence of town. The structure and old ramparts are so cool could walk round this place time and time and enjoy the history of it. best time to enjoy it when its not to hot. Was here when was 38 degrees can tell you thats hot. great location well worth trip. Beautiful place to visit for any tourists. Only issue is that it isn't the cleanest place. Many cigarettes on the floor and dirt etc. But none of the dirt is at the main path just on the sides. Highly recommended for tourists and Maltese who never went Very beautiful city. It's a small town in a small country, but if you arrive there with a cruise 🛳 ship, there is not time enough to visit the whole city, so It's a pity. I think I'll take some days to visit again but with calm, also the rest of the country. There are a lot of interesting buildings and 🏛 monuments to see. There's a very interesting history to know about. Can find a lot of squares to sit down and take a beer 🍻. I recommend a lot to visit this city. A wide open area entering the capital city of Malta - the entrance is over an old knights ditch which is still undergoing some progress - as you enter the City gate you'll see the New Parlament,even before there are two stairs. The one on the left lead you to Hastings Gardens and nieghbourhood, the right side lead you to the Central Bank and surrounding Bastion. English, dutch, spanish version are following: Belle ville Valetta, capitale de Malte, vous pourrez y passez plus d'une journée, elle est facilement accessible soit via les bus, qui ne coûtent qu'1,5 euros si vous prenez une carte de 10 voyages à 15 euros, soit via le même prix en ferry...au départ de Sliema notamment . Au départ de Valetta, vous avez un terminal de bus situez sur la droite de l'entrée principale à l'extérieur des enceintes, delà vous pouvez sillonnez toute l'ïle. Dans la ville, si vous êtes amoureux d'architecture vous serez comblés, quantités de petits commerces et restaurants, bars vous accueilleront avec la gentillesse anglaise des Maltais.

Valetta is really a beautiful city , capital of Malta, you can spend more than one day, it is easily accessible either by bus, which cost only 1.5 euros if you take a card of 10 trips to 15 euros, or via the same price by ferry ... from Sliema in particular. From Valetta, you have a bus terminal located on the right of the main entrance outside the fortified enclosure, beyond you can crisscross the island. In the city, if you love architecture, you will be satisfied, lots of small shops and restaurants, bars will welcome you with the kindness of English Maltese. A briliant mixture of traditional and contemporary architecture! Mr Renzo Piano did astonishing work. He captured the spirit of medieval Valletta rulled by The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem and transformed it into vibrant, modern space. It's a pity that Valletta ditch will mot be turned into a garden as originally planned, but turned into yet another parking space. Amazing architecture by the Italian Architecture of Renzo Piano. A magnificent square to welcome tourists from all over the world to join Maltese and celebrate VALLETTA EUROPEAN CITY OF...

English, dutch, spanish version are following: Belle ville Valetta, capitale de Malte, vous pourrez y passez plus d'une journée, elle est facilement accessible soit via les bus, qui ne coûtent qu'1,5 euros si vous prenez une carte de 10 voyages à 15 euros, soit via le même prix en ferry...au départ de Sliema notamment . Au départ de Valetta, vous avez un terminal de bus situez sur la droite de l'entrée principale à l'extérieur des enceintes, delà vous pouvez sillonnez toute l'ïle. Dans la ville, si vous êtes amoureux d'architecture vous serez comblés, quantités de petits commerces et restaurants, bars vous accueilleront avec la gentillesse anglaise des Maltais.

Valetta is really a beautiful city , capital of Malta, you can spend more than one day, it is easily accessible either by bus, which cost only 1.5 euros if you take a card of 10 trips to 15 euros, or via the same price by ferry ... from Sliema in particular. From Valetta, you have a bus terminal located on the right of the main entrance outside the fortified enclosure, beyond you can crisscross the island. In the city, if you love architecture, you will be satisfied, lots of small shops and restaurants, bars will welcome you with the kindness of English Maltese.

Valetta is éen zeer prachtige stad. Valetta, hoofstad van Malta, waar je zeker meer dan één dag kunt doorbrengen, is gemakkelijk te bereiken met de bus, die slechts 1,5 euro kost, als u een kaart van 10 reizen naar 15 euro neemt, of via dezelfde prijs per veerboot ... vooral van Sliema. Vanuit Valetta heb je een busterminal aan de rechterkant van de hoofdingang buiten de versterkte behuizing, en daardoor kunt U het eiland kriskras doorkruisen. In de stad, als je verliefd bent op architectuur, zul je tevreden zijn, veel kleine winkels en restaurants, bars zullen je verwelkomen met de vriendelijkheid van de Engelse Maltese.

La hermosa ciudad de Valetta, la capital de Malta, puede pasar más de un día, se puede acceder fácilmente en autobús, que cuesta solo 1,5 euros si lleva una tarjeta de 10 viajes a 15 euros, o vía el mismo precio en ferry ... de Sliema en particular. Desde Valetta, tiene una terminal de autobuses ubicada a la derecha de la entrada principal, fuera del recinto amurallado, más allá de la que puede atravesar la isla. En la ciudad, si está enamorado de la arquitectura, estará satisfecho, muchas pequeñas tiendas y restaurantes, los bares le darán la bienvenida con la amabilidad del...