Knights of Saint John ruled Malta from 1530. In the aftermath of Great Siege of Malta of 1565, the Order decided to build a new city from scratch and move its capital there. New fortified city, with its impressive walls, bastions, forts and cathedral, was completed in the astonishing short time. The city of Valletta sits on a peninsula that is only 0.8 km2 / 0.3 sq mi. It is one of the smallest capitals in the world. It may be tiny, but it is packed with many interesting sites. The entire city is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and is described as “one of the most concentrated historic areas in the world.”
