Valletta is named after Jean de Valette, who was what?

Grand Master of the Knights of St. John

Which Caravaggio painting, his largest and the only one he signed, hangs in St. John's Co-Cathedral?

The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist

The Manoel Theatre in Valletta, opened in 1732, is famous for being what?

One of Europe's oldest working theaters

The largest opera house in Europe

Valletta Quiz: Knights, Fortresses and Harbours of Malta

This Valletta quiz explores the capital of Malta, built by the Knights of St. John, with questions on Grand Master Jean de Valette, the Great Siege of 1565, St. John's Co-Cathedral and Caravaggio, the Saluting Battery at the Upper Barrakka Gardens, the Grand Harbour, Renzo Piano's City Gate, the Manoel Theatre and Maltese balconies. Ten questions.

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🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 90 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 90s

Names
Valletta is named after Jean de Valette, who was what?
Sieges
The Great Siege of Malta in 1565 was an attack by which empire?
Art
Which Caravaggio painting, his largest and the only one he signed, hangs in St. John's Co-Cathedral?
Cannons
What happens at the Saluting Battery in the Upper Barrakka Gardens every day?
Records
Valletta holds which record among European Union capitals?
Architecture
Which famous architect designed Valletta's modern City Gate and Parliament House?
Theaters
The Manoel Theatre in Valletta, opened in 1732, is famous for being what?
Balconies
What are the colorful enclosed wooden balconies on Valletta's houses called in Maltese?
Culture
In which year was Valletta a European Capital of Culture?
Forts
Which star-shaped fort at the tip of Valletta's peninsula now houses the National War Museum?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Valletta is named after Jean de Valette, who was what?
Answer: Grand Master of the Knights of St. John
De Valette led the defense of Malta in 1565. He laid the first stone of the new city the following year.
Q2: The Great Siege of Malta in 1565 was an attack by which empire?
Answer: The Ottoman Empire
Despite being heavily outnumbered, the knights and Maltese defenders held out for nearly four months. The victory made Malta famous across Europe.
Q3: Which Caravaggio painting, his largest and the only one he signed, hangs in St. John's Co-Cathedral?
Answer: The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist
Caravaggio painted it in 1608 while living in Malta as a knight. He signed his name in the blood flowing from the saint's neck.
Q4: What happens at the Saluting Battery in the Upper Barrakka Gardens every day?
Answer: A cannon is fired at noon
The guns are fired at noon and again at 4 p.m. The gardens offer one of the best views of the Grand Harbour.
Q5: Valletta holds which record among European Union capitals?
Answer: Smallest by area
The city covers less than 1 square kilometer. Its entire walled area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Q6: Which famous architect designed Valletta's modern City Gate and Parliament House?
Answer: Renzo Piano
The project was completed in 2015. The parliament building is covered in honey-colored limestone cut to look like it has been eaten by the sun.
Q7: The Manoel Theatre in Valletta, opened in 1732, is famous for being what?
Answer: One of Europe's oldest working theaters
It was built by Grand Master António Manoel de Vilhena. Its oval auditorium is decorated with gold leaf.
Q8: What are the colorful enclosed wooden balconies on Valletta's houses called in Maltese?
Answer: Gallariji
The balconies let people watch the street while staying out of sight. Many are painted green, red or blue.
Q9: In which year was Valletta a European Capital of Culture?
Answer: 2018
The year included concerts, exhibitions and street events. Valletta shared the title with Leeuwarden in the Netherlands.
Q10: Which star-shaped fort at the tip of Valletta's peninsula now houses the National War Museum?
Answer: Fort St. Elmo
It held out for weeks during the Great Siege before falling. The museum covers Malta's history from prehistory to World War II.

Valletta Quiz – The City Built by Knights

Valletta is the capital of Malta and the smallest national capital in the European Union, covering less than one square kilometer. Built on a narrow peninsula between two deep harbors, it is a city of honey-colored stone, Baroque churches, palaces and mighty fortifications. The whole city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Valletta was founded in 1566 by the Knights of St. John, a religious and military order, after they defeated the Ottoman Empire in the Great Siege of 1565. It was named after their Grand Master, Jean de Valette. The knights planned the city on a grid, with strong walls and bastions, making it one of the first planned cities in Europe.

St. John's Co-Cathedral is Valletta's most famous building, plain on the outside but dazzling inside, with gold carvings, marble tombstones and Caravaggio's Beheading of Saint John the Baptist. The Grandmaster's Palace, Fort St. Elmo, the Manoel Theatre and the Upper Barrakka Gardens are other highlights.

Valletta was badly bombed during World War II, when Malta was a key British base. Modern projects, such as Renzo Piano's City Gate and Parliament, have renewed the entrance to the city. The Saluting Battery still fires its cannons each day over the Grand Harbour.

Visitors wander streets lined with colorful balconies and eat pastizzi, rabbit stew and ftira bread.

Ferries cross the Grand Harbour to the Three Cities, Birgu, Senglea and Cospicua, where the knights first settled. Traditional wooden boats called dgħajsa still carry passengers across the water, and the harbor glows gold at sunset.

This quiz covers the history, art, buildings and traditions of Valletta.

What This Quiz Teaches

This quiz is perfect for history fans, art lovers and travelers to Malta.

Who Valletta is named after
The Great Siege of 1565
St. John's Co-Cathedral and Caravaggio
The Saluting Battery and the Grand Harbour
Renzo Piano's City Gate and the Manoel Theatre
Maltese balconies and Fort St. Elmo

Quick Facts About Valletta

Valletta has more than 300 historic monuments in a tiny area.
The Barrakka Lift links the Grand Harbour with the Upper Barrakka Gardens.
Republic Street is the city's main street.
Many film and TV productions use Valletta's streets as sets.
The Siege Bell Memorial honors those who died in World War II.
Valletta has very few cars in its narrow streets.