Victory Square

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Location: Il-Birgu

The Victory Square situated in the heart of Vittoriosa was named after the victory of the Maltese and the Knights of St. John on the Ottoman empire in 1565. Since Malta was always of a great strategic importance in the Mediterranean Sea, the knights were expecting an Ottoman attack since the Turks had long wanted to conquer Europe. Therefore, the knights started their preparations to defend the island. The Turkish fleet which consisted of 193 vessels left Constantinople on 22nd March and arrived in Malta on 18th May. After nearly 4 months of attacks, on the 7th September a fleet of 8000 men arrived in Malta to aid the Maltese and the Knights in their battle against the Turks. Having seen this, the Turks had no choice but to retreat from the island defeated. The fact that Malta defeated the Ottoman Empire was of great significance because since Malta has a strategic place in the Mediterranean if Malta would have lost the Siege, Europe would have been invaded by the Ottomans. Hence the square in the heart of Vittoriosa was named Victory Square to commemorate the important victory of the heroic Maltese and the Knights of St. John in the Great Siege of Malta of 1565. In collaboration with Kottonera Foundation.

Misraħ ir-Rebħa li jinsab fil-qalba tal-Birgu ssemma wara r-rebħa tal-Maltin u l-Kavallieri ta’ San Ġwann fuq l-Imperu Ottoman fl-1565. Peress li Malta kienet dejjem ta’ importanza strateġika kbira fil-baħar Mediterran, il-kavallieri kienu qed jistennew attakk mill-Ottomani peress lit-Torok kienu ilhom jipprovaw jieħdu f’idejhom l-Ewropa. Għalhekk, il-kavallieri bdew it-tħejjijiet tagħhom biex jiddefendu l-gżira. Il-flotta Torka li kienet tikkonsisti minn 193 bastiment telqet minn Kostantinopli fit-22 ta' Marzu u waslet Malta fit-18 ta' Mejju. Wara kważi 4 xhur ta' attakki, fis-7 ta' Settembru flotta ta' 8000 raġel waslet Malta biex tgħin lill-Maltin u l-Kavallieri fil-battalja tagħhom kontra t-Torok. Wara li raw dan, it-Torok ma kellhom l-ebda għażla ħlief li jirtiraw mill-gżira. Il-fatt li Malta għelbet l-Imperu Ottoman kien ta’ sinifikat kbir għaliex peress li Malta għandha post strateġiku fil-Mediterran li kieku Malta tilfet l-Assedju, l-Ewropa kienet tkun invażata mill-Ottomani. Għalhekk il-misraħ fil-qalba tal-Birgu ġie imsemmi Misraħ ir-Rebħa biex ifakkar ir-rebħa mportanti tal-erojiċi Maltin u l-Kavallieri ta’ San Ġwann fl-Assedju l-Kbir ta’ Malta tal-1565. B’kollaborazzjoni mal-Fondazzjoni Kottonera.