Valletta, Malta

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Victory Day in Valletta

Today we're visiting Valletta, the capital of Malta, where today is Victory Day. The national holiday commemorates the end of three historic sieges made on the Maltese archipelago: the Great Siege of Malta, which took place in 1565; the Siege of Valletta by the French Blockade, which ended in 1800; and the Siege of Malta during the Second World War by Italian and German forces.

After nearly two and a half years of devastating air attacks, the Siege of Malta finally ended in 1942. The UK ruled the island back then and King George VI awarded Malta the George Cross 'for the heroism and devotion of its people' during the great siege. The George Cross was incorporated into the flag of Malta in 1943 and remains there today.