Rabat, Malta Explained

Rabat
Native Name:Ir-Rabat
Native Name Lang:mt
Settlement Type:Local council
Motto: Ġawhra Prezzjuża Magħrufa Tleqq
(Original Latin: Notabilis gemma fulget)
(English: A precious gem known as radiant.)
Coordinates:35.8817°N 14.3989°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Malta
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Western Region
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Western District
Parts Type:Borders
Parts Style:para
P1:Attard, Dingli, Mdina, Mġarr, Mosta, Mtarfa, Siġġiewi, Żebbuġ
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Sandro Craus
Leader Party:PL
Unit Pref:Metric
Area Total Km2:26.64
Population Total:11,936
Population As Of:2021
Population Density Km2:auto
Population Demonym:Rabti (m), Rabtija (f), Rabtin (pl)
Timezone1:CET
Utc Offset1:+1
Timezone1 Dst:CEST
Utc Offset1 Dst:+2
Postal Code Type:Postal code
Postal Code:RBT
Area Code Type:Dialing code
Area Code:356
Iso Code:MT-46
Blank Name Sec1:Patron saint
Blank Info Sec1:Saint Paul
Saint Joseph; Corpus Christi; Our Lady of The Girdle; Our Lady of Good Health; Saint Martin; Immaculate Conception
Blank1 Name Sec1:Day of festa
Blank1 Info Sec1:First Sunday of July; March 19; Second Sunday of June; First Sunday of September; Second Sunday of October; Nearest Sunday to November 11; December 8
Website:Official website
Government Type:Mayor–council government
Governing Body:Rabat Local Council

Rabat (mt|Ir-Rabat, pronounced as /mt/) is a town in the Western Region of Malta, with a population of 11,497 as of March 2014.[1] It adjoins the ancient capital city of Mdina, and a north-western area formed part of the Roman city of Melite until its medieval retrenchment.

The Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See to the Republic of Malta is seated in this village. The Local Council of Rabat is also the administrator of Baħrija. Parts of the films Munich and Black Eagle were shot in Rabat. In December 1999, Mtarfa was split from Rabat to form a separate Local Council by Act XXI, an amendment to the Local Council Act of 1993 (Act XV). In 2021, Rabat was transferred from the Northern Region to the newly-created Western Region as part of a reorganization of the regions of Malta.

Etymology

Rabat is a Semitic word which can mean "fortified town" or "suburb".[2] The Arabic term Ribat refers to a small fortification to host military volunteers.[3]

Catacombs

Rabat is home to the Catacombs of St. Paul and of St. Agatha.[4] These catacombs were used in Roman times to bury the dead as, according to Roman culture, it was unhygienic to bury the dead in the city.[5] Mdina and parts of Rabat were built on top of the ancient Roman city of Melite. The Maltese catacombs were never meant to be hiding places during persecutions or as living quarters.[6]

The Catacombs of St. Paul are now administered by Heritage Malta.[7] Part of St. Paul's Catacombs, the part accessible from the Parish tradition and as recorded in the Bible, St. Paul stayed here for three months when he was shipwrecked on the island in AD 60.[8]

In the Catacombs of St Agatha's, there are over 500 graves of several types, the majority being children's graves. There are sections for pagans and Jews, as well as for Christians. There are also unique frescoes.[9] Another feature of the Maltese catacombs is the agape table, two of which, carved out of bedrock, were found in the Catacombs of St. Paul.[10]

Buildings

Districts in Rabat

Thoroughfares

Band clubs and feasts

Sport

Rabat has its own football club called Rabat Ajax F.C. Rabat won the Maltese Premier League twice (1984–85 Maltese Premier League and 1985–86 Maltese Premier League), and the Maltese Cup once in 1986.

Twin towns — sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Malta.

Rabat is twinned with:[12]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Estimated Population by Locality 31st March, 2014. Government of Malta. https://web.archive.org/web/20150621211549/https://secure2.gov.mt/localgovernment/file.aspx?f=7810. 21 June 2015. 16 May 2014. dead.
  2. Book: Cyprus, Greece, and Malta . 150 . Tesch . Noah . Britannica Educational Publishing . The Britannica Guide to Countries of the European Union . 2013 . 9781615309856 . 2 May 2021.
  3. Northedge . Alastair . ʿAbbāsid art and architecture . Encyclopedia of Islam . 3.
  4. Web site: UNESCO. October 2, 2023. whc.unesco.org.
  5. Web site: ThoughtCo. October 2, 2023. ThoughtCo.com.
  6. Web site: Catacombs - St. Agatha, Malta . 2024-04-07 . stagathamalta.com.
  7. Web site: Heritage Malta. October 2, 2023. HeritageMalta.mt.
  8. Book: Rix, Juliet . Malta and Gozo . 2010 . Bradt travel guides . 978-1-84162-312-2 . London . 8.
  9. Book: Travelling Wizards . Malta - The Mythical Island . 9781460921012 . 2011 . 27 . English.
  10. Book: Rix, Juliet . Malta and Gozo . Bradt Travel Guides . 2013 . 9781841624525 . 225 . English.
  11. Web site: Banda Konti Ruggieru . https://web.archive.org/web/20110128233216/http://countrogerband.com/ . 2011-01-28 .
  12. Web site: Twinning. localgovernment.gov.mt. Government of Malta. 2019-09-18.

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