Victoria(Rabat) is the capital of Gozo island, which is the sister island of Malta. Both of them are similar in history and development, but Gozo has a character entirely of its own. The three-hilled island is greener and more picturesque than Malta.

Victoria is the name given in 1897 by the British government on the occasion of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, at the request of the Bishop of Malta.

The Citadel is on Malta’s tentative list of future World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.

The Citadel proudly rises above Victoria. It was the center of activity possibly since Neolithic times but it became the focal point of Gozo around 1500 Bc when it was first fortified by the Bronze Age people.

The Phoenicians developed it further and the Romans turned it into their acropolis dominated by a temple dedicated to Juno.  The north side of the present fortifications date from the times of the Aragonese, while the southern flank, overlooking Victoria, was raised by the Knights of St. John Between 1599 and 1603.

The city walls were the site for numerous conflicts that took place in and around the citadel. For centuries, the Citadel served as a sanctuary from attack by Barbary corsairs and Saracens. At several times during Gozo’s history, these raiders took their population into slavery.

If you like you can walk in it for free and enjoy the views from above.