hi .dave ..that interesting info you posted......regards....john-doe

Gozo in 1798 after Napoleon had got rid of the Knights of Malta, the Gozitans rebelled against the French within the Citadel in Victoria and lay seige from September till October, when the French surrendered and left Gozo.
So for two years untill the British arrived in September 1800, Gozo was a independent country, declaring it self the Nation of Gozo.

St Geoge's Basilica in Victoria 1672 to 1678 calls its self the Golden Basilica, it has a striking copy of Bernini's alterpiece from St Peter's in Rome.

The main entrance to the Citadel was only cut into the walls in 1957. The old gate way is 25 metre's away.

Dave

Here's another one I learnt from the curator at the prison museum on Gozo.

In the 16th Century Barbary Pirates captured and enslaved the entire population of Gozo, about 5-6,000 people!!

Ciao

Susan

Hello Sue, would that be the 1551 siege, when one soldier Bernardo Duopuo put his wife and two daughters to death rather than allow them to be captured, and fought till his own death?

Dave

Yes, I think that's the one - some pirate by the name of Dragut(?) fighting for revenge against the Genoan Andrea Doria and the Knights Hospitaller.

Crikey, the Med must have been a pretty hair raising place to be during those times!

Susan

"The main entrance to the Citadel was only cut into the walls in 1957"

that I didn't know thanks Dave

Naxxar, translates in English to, (place to hang cloths to dry) said to be were St Paul dryed his cloths after his ship wreck on Malta.
The church of St Paul in Naxxar is said to were he is said to have first preached to the Maltese, and is famous for its iron work made by local crafts men.
The annual Trade Fair is held here in the grounds of the Palazzo Parisio in July.
Naxxar was one of the first 10 parishes of 1436 and was once a farming village but has grown so as to meet with Mosta.
The Palazzo Parisio is one of the finest stately home on Malta open to the puplic, it owes its unique interior to the Marquis Giuseppe Scicluna once the richest man in Malta. Six month after the finish of the palace the Marquis died and the palace lay empty for years. it is said to have the longest peace of marble in Malta, running up the stair case.
The interior is said to be a miniature of the French plalace of Versailles.
One final word on the Marquis he also open the first bank in Malta and paid his work men by cheque as the Maltese could not say cheque it used to come out as cisk, and as he also owned a brewery can you see were this is going, yes this is this is were Cisk beer comes from.

http://www.palazzoparisio.com

Dave