This is a list of cities in Malta. By the usual standards that most other countries use when designating a city, Malta's cities would be too small to be considered such, and in fact Malta is sometimes regarded as a single city-state.[1] Malta's cities are regarded as such because they received the designation of "città" at some point during their history. In Maltese law, no distinction is made between cities, towns, and villages; and city status is purely honorary and colloquial. Malta is divided into 68 local councils. The local councils which formerly had city status all feature a mural crown on the crest of their coat of arms. The table shows historical cities:

Within current
local council 		Historical city Year granted Image Population
(2014)[2] 		Notes
Birgu Città Vittoriosa 1530 2629 Capital city from 1530 to 1571, and one of the Three Cities. City status confirmed following the Great Siege of Malta in 1565.[3]
Bormla Città Cospicua 1722 5395 One of the Three Cities. City status granted in 1722 by Grand Master Marc'Antonio Zondadari.[4]
Mdina Città Notabile 292 Capital city from antiquity to 1530.
Qormi Città Pinto 1743 16779 City status granted on 25 May 1743 by Grand Master Manuel Pinto da Fonseca, following a request made by Don Giuseppe Vella.[5]
Rabat Città Victoria 1887 6901 Capital city of Gozo. City status granted on 10 June 1887 by Queen Victoria, following a petition made by Bishop Pietro Pace and Chief Justice Adrian Dingli on occasion of Victoria's Golden Jubilee.[6]
Senglea Città Invicta 1565 2784 One of the Three Cities. City status granted following the Great Siege of Malta in 1565.[7]
Siġġiewi Città Ferdinand 1797 8367 City status granted on 30 December 1797 by Grand Master Ferdinand von Hompesch zu Bolheim, following a petition made by Don Salvatore Corso and the inhabitants.[8]
Valletta Città Umilissima 1571 6444 Capital city since 18 March 1571.[9]
Żabbar Città Hompesch 1797 15404 City status granted on 14 September 1797 by Grand Master Ferdinand von Hompesch zu Bolheim, following a request made by Don Carlo Caruana and the inhabitants. In 1801, the Hompesch Gate was built to commemorate this event.[8]
Żebbuġ Città Rohan 1777 11903 City status granted on 21 June 1777 by Grand Master Emmanuel de Rohan-Polduc, following a petition made by the inhabitants. In 1798, the De Rohan Arch was built to commemorate this event.[10]
Żejtun Città Beland 1797 11508 City status granted on 30 December 1797 by Grand Master Ferdinand von Hompesch zu Bolheim, following a petition made by Don Giacomo Michele Tortella and the inhabitants.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Flags, Symbols and their uses". gov.mt. Government of Malta. Archived from the original on 29 June 2015.
  2. ^ "Estimated Population by Locality 31st March, 2014". Government of Malta. 16 May 2014. Archived from the original on 21 June 2015.
  3. ^ Guillaumier, Alfie (1987). Bliet u Rħula Maltin (in Maltese). Valletta: Valletta Publishing & Promotion Co. Ltd. p. 41.
  4. ^ "Bormla (Città Cospicua)". lc.gov.mt. Archived from the original on 31 October 2015.
  5. ^ Zammit, Vincent (1992). Il-Gran Mastri - Ġabra ta' Tagħrif dwar l-Istorja ta' Malta fi Żmienhom - It-Tieni Volum 1680–1798 (in Maltese). Valletta: Valletta Publishing & Promotion Co. Ltd. pp. 427–428.
  6. ^ "The Conferment of The Title of City". Victoria Local Council. Archived from the original on 8 July 2015.
  7. ^ Guillaumier (1987), p. 324
  8. ^ a b c Zammit (1992), pp. 513–516
  9. ^ Gaul, Simon (2007). Malta, Gozo & Comino. New Holland Publishers. p. 100. ISBN 9781860113659.
  10. ^ "The De Rohan Arch". Haz-Zebbug.com. Archived from the original on 31 October 2015.
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