Malta - Day 02 - Valletta - 06 March 2024 - Underground Valletta

The entrance to Underground Valletta 

The Maltese created underground Valletta by extending the existing passages created as part of the escape plan of the knights should the Turkish once again take seige of the island.

These extensions were required to accommodate all the people that lost their homes in the 2nd world war as well as bomb shelters for those that still had homes. A community effort by the Maltese who already had large underground cellers that held their drinking water, they released their water and joined the underground cellers to the underground tunnels.

Malta was the most bombed country in the world.  They held out without food and other resources finally helped by a broken ship the HMS Ohio that limped into Malta's harbour after a harrowing trip to reach Malta's shores.

For their war efforts, as a nation they were awarded the George's Cross for bravery and going above and beyond duty.

Descend into the fascinating depths of Valletta, built first as a fortress and then as a city. Valletta’s underground was its lifeline. Apart from tunnels for the movement of troops and for grain storage, underground spaces were essential for two other crucial factors: water and drainage, both vital for survival of the city under siege, but also during peace time.

Centuries later, a new frenzy of digging began. The Second World War saw 17,000 tonnes of bombs dropped over Malta. The population of Valletta moved underground into a dense network of shelters that expanded on existing tunnels and cisterns to shield people from certain death. A tale of desperation, and resistance.

Valletta, a world heritage site, cannot be fully appreciated without experiencing what lies beneath it. A unique experience of defence and survival.