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Malta

Mdina Gate Baroque Gateway Attraction,

Mdina's Main Entrance, Carvings, Statues,Bridge

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Mdina Gate - Baroque gateway. Located in Mdina, Malta

Photograph Mdina Main Gate

Photograph Mdina Main Gate.

The main entrance to the old fortified city of Mdina from it's newer suburb Rabat.  The entrance is located very near to Rabat's bus station

This gateway was designed by de Mondion, a prodigious builder for the Order of St. John. This Mdina gate was built a few metres to the left of the original gate in 1724.  The location of the original gate is clearly visible in the now solid wall, see some of the other photos on this page.  The building of the new gate was to enlarge the palace, Palazzo Giuratale, damaged in the great eathquake of 1693.  The new palace built for Grand Master Vilhena was renamed Palazzo Vilhena

The coat of arms above the gate are of. The lions in the coat of arm are repeated as statues on the bridge in front of the gate and also in the statues on the outer end of the bridge.

On the inner side of the Mdina gate are 3 statues of patron saints, the palm branches are a symbol of martyrdom

  • St Publius
  • St Paul
  • Agatha

Below the statues are 2 plaques

  • The coat of arms of the Inguanez, the island's oldest noblearistocratic family
  • An inscription

The blank space was defaced by the French in 1798.

More photographs of Mdina Main Gate

Mdina Main Gate. Note the previous gates location was 2 metres to the right Mdina Gate, Ditch and Bridge

Greek Gate Mdina, Malta

Greek Gate and Parking Mdina, MaltaGreek Gate Mdina, Malta

  • Named the Greek Gate because many Greeks lived near the gate
  • The gate is located within the ditch on the south side next to the south west bastion
  • On the outer side around the bastion is a car par & also a small cafe.

Gharreqin Gate Mdina, Malta

Gharreqin Gate Interior Mdina Greek Gate Tunnel through the fortified Mdina wall

  • The Gharreqin Gate is reletivly new. A Hole was cut through the fortified wall and a gateway built late on in the 19th century.
  • It was constructed in order to allow easy access to the Mdina Railway Station, only 200m beyond the walls.
  • The railway opened in 1883 & closed in 1931 after the introduction of buses.
  • Some of the old stations, bridges & tunnels still exist.
    • Mdina Station is now a restaurant.
    • Another Station was turned into a Scout headquarters
    • One turned into a Railway Museum. An original wooden carrage is located in the next door garden to the museum.