I CAVALIERI DI MALTA

Malta is one of the smallest states in Europe yet it has managed to attract important artists such as Caravaggio and Mattia Preti How could that have happened What made them move to this archipelago south of Sicily in the heart of the Mediterranean We asked Dominic Michalef cultural officer of the Maltese tourism board Malta during the time of the knights was Europe before Europe Thanks to these knights who came from everywhere in Europe They had such important contacts so important that the best artists of the time arrived here the best sculptors of the era Here is the secret of Malta's power the Knights of St John or the Hospitaller Knights Knights are a religious order founded in 1048 in Jerusalem To assist and care for pilgrims on their long and difficult journey to holy places Soon the hospital duties are added to the military ones until transforming the order into one of the most organized and valiant forces of the era A true and proper shield of Christianity in the long-standing war against the Turks Cynthia de Giorgio curator of the co-cathedral of St John They wanted to be remembered above all as warriors come the defenders of Catholic faith and Europe from the attacks of the Turks They came from the most noble families and fought for the noblest causes Skilled sailors and fearless warriors willing to die for their cause arrive in Malta in 1530 They form the base for the fight against Turkish and Saracen pirates In 1565 the Turkish sultan decides to conquer the island in order to then launch an attack on Italy and all of Europe The knights heroically resist the great siege The shield of Christianity holds and Europe is saved Having emerged victorious from the great siege a period of glory begins for the knights They establish a new capital Valletta and first make it an immense fortress It still fascinates visitors with the powerful presence of its walls towering over the sea In the 1600s and 1700s the war machine also became cultural capital Growing richer with splendid Baroque architecture such as the golden interiors of the co-cathedral of San Giovanni or the elegant Manuel Theater In the strong contrasts between the golden stone of the walls and the deep blue of the sea The military severity of the façades and the splendor of the interiors is what gives this unforgettable city its deep charm