VALETTA, LA, the capital of the island of Malta, situated on the east side of the island, in 14° 30' E. long.
at 36° 53' N. lat. It was founded in 1566 by the celebrated grandmaster of the same name, and received munificent contributions from the pope, and from the kings of Spain, France, and Portugal, and it is now one of the first towns in Europe. It consists of five parts, La Valleta or Città Nuova, Città Vittoriosa, Senleya or the isle of St. Michael, Barmola, and Cottonera. The situation of the town is beautiful, the streets are regular, and well paved with lava. The public buildings and private houses are of a very superior order; they are built of stone, with flat or terraced roofs. Water is supplied by means of an aqueduct seventeen thousand yards long, conveying five-eighty gallons per minute. The city contains above twenty churches, great and small, besides the cathedral. The principal edifices are the cathedral, the palace of the grandmasters, the lodges of the different languages, the conservatory, the university, the treasury, the palace of justice, the hospital, the Monte di Pietà, the barracks, the theatre, and the exchange. These buildings are distinguished by the elegance and chasteness of their architecture. The public library contains about 100,000 volumes, and there is also an extensive museum. The total population of the island in 186, including the troops, amounted to 106,614, of which about 40,000 resided in the capital.