Rabat ( mt, Ir-Rabat, ) is a town in the Northern Region of

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

, with a population of 11,497 as of March 2014. It adjoins the ancient capital city of

Mdina Mdina ( mt, L-Imdina ; phn, 𐤌𐤋𐤈, Maleṭ; grc, Μελίττη, Melite (ancient city), Melíttē; ar, مدينة, Madīnah; ), also known by its Italian-language titles ("Old City") and ("Notable City"), is a fortifications of Mdin ...

, and a north-western area formed part of the Roman city of Melite until its medieval retrenchment. The Apostolic Nunciature of the

Holy See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...

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 Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...

'' and ''

Black Eagle The black eagle (''Ictinaetus malaiensis'') is a bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae, and is the only member of the genus ''Ictinaetus''. They soar over forests in the hilly regions of tropical and subtropical South ...

'' were shot in Rabat. In December 1999,

Mtarfa Mtarfa ( mt, L-Imtarfa) is a small town in the Northern Region of Malta, with a population of 2,572 as of March 2014. It was considered to be a suburb of Rabat until 2000, when it became a separate local council. History A number of historic s ...

was split from Rabat to form a separate Local Council by Act XXI, an amendment to the Local Council Act of 1993 (Act XV).

Etymology

Rabat is a Semitic word which can mean "fortified town" or "suburb".

Catacombs

Rabat is home to the famous Catacombs of

St. Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

and of St. Agatha. These

catacombs Catacombs are man-made subterranean passageways for religious practice. Any chamber used as a burial place is a catacomb, although the word is most commonly associated with the Roman Empire. Etymology and history The first place to be referred ...

were used in Roman times to bury the dead as, according to Roman culture, it was unhygienic to bury the dead in the city.

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. The Catacombs of St. Paul are now looked after by

Heritage Malta Heritage Malta ( mt, Patrimonju Malta) is the Maltese national agency for museums, conservation practice and cultural heritage. Created by the Cultural Heritage Act, enacted in 2002, the national agency replaced the former Museums Department. Or ...

. Part of St. Paul's Catacombs, the part accessible from the Parish tradition and as recorded in the

Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...

, St. Paul stayed for three months when he was shipwrecked on the island in AD 60. In the Catacombs of St Agatha's, there are over 500 graves of several types, the majority being for children. There are sections for

pagan Paganism (from classical Latin ''pāgānus'' "rural", "rustic", later "civilian") is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Judaism. ...

s and

Jews Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

, as well as for Christians. There are also unique

fresco Fresco (plural ''frescos'' or ''frescoes'') is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaste ...

es. Another interesting feature in the Maltese catacombs is the

agape In Christianity, agape (; ) is "the highest form of love, charity" and "the love of God for man and of man for God". This is in contrast to philia, brotherly love, or philautia, self-love, as it embraces a deep and profound sacrificial love tha ...

table, two of which, carved out of bedrock, were found in the Catacombs of St. Paul.

Buildings

* St Pauls Collegiate and Grotto * Nativity of Our Lady church (k.a. Ta’Qasha) in St Rita Street. * St. Pauls - Count Roger Band Club * Archbishop Seminary *

Augustinian Priory Augustinians are members of Christian religious orders that follow the Rule of Saint Augustine, written in about 400 AD by Augustine of Hippo. There are two distinct types of Augustinians in Catholic religious orders dating back to the 12th–13 ...

* Annunciation Church (

Carmelite Fathers , image = , caption = Coat of arms of the Carmelites , abbreviation = OCarm , formation = Late 12th century , founder = Early hermits of Mount Carmel , founding_location = Mount C ...

) *

Casa Cosmana Navarra Casa Cosmana Navarra ( en, Cosmana Navarra House) is a 17th-century aristocratic townhouse in Rabat, Malta. The building belonged to Cosmana Navarra (1600-1687), for whom it is named until date, who was the main benefactress of the rebuilding of t ...

* Church dedicated to St Martin of Tours ( Baħrija) * Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (Mtaħleb) * Church of St. Catherine (Tad-Daħla) * Church of the Immaculate Conception (Wied Gerżuma) * Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (Tas-Salib) * Church of the Blessed Virgin (

Dominican Order The Order of Preachers ( la, Ordo Praedicatorum) abbreviated OP, also known as the Dominicans, is a Catholic mendicant order of Pontifical Right for men founded in Toulouse, France, by the Spanish priest, saint and mystic Dominic of Cal ...

) * Church of the Blessed Virgin ( Franciscan Minors) * Church of St. Francis (

Conventual Franciscans The Order of Friars Minor Conventual (OFM Conv) is a male religious fraternity in the Roman Catholic Church that is a branch of the Franciscans. The friars in OFM CONV are also known as Conventual Franciscans, or Minorites. Dating back to ...

) * Collegiate Basilica of St Paul * Count Roger Band Club * Dominican Priory *

Domus Romana The Domus Romana (Latin for " Roman House"), stylized as the Domvs Romana (after Latin's lack of distinction between u and v), is a ruined Roman-era house located on the boundary between Mdina and Rabat, Malta. It was built in the 1st centur ...

* Dwejra Lines * Fort Binġemma * Għajn Għeriexem * L’Isle Adam Band Club * Loġġa tal-Palju * Saint Nicholas College - (Primary School A and B) * Santo Spirito Hospital - (

National Archives of Malta The National Archives of Malta ( mt, L-Arkivji Nazzjonali ta' Malta) is the central archive maintained by the Mediterranean island nation of Malta. The Archives has been housed in the Grandmaster's Palace for most of its lifetime, having move ...

) * Sanctuary of Our Lady of Good Health * St. Agatha’s Catacombs and Crypt * St. Agatha's Church (Missionary Society of St Paul) * St. Bartholomew's Church * St. Catald's Church * St. Luke Pastoral Centre - Nigret * St. Mark's Church (

Augustinians Augustinians are members of Christian religious orders that follow the Rule of Saint Augustine, written in about 400 AD by Augustine of Hippo. There are two distinct types of Augustinians in Catholic religious orders dating back to the 12th–13 ...

) * St. Paul's Catacombs * St. Paul's Missionary College * St. Sebastian's Church * Ta' Duna Church * Museum Station * Nicola Saura Hospital – Ospiza Saura * Niche of St. Paul in

Saqqajja Saqqajja is an urban area within the administration of Mdina, Malta, outside the walled city. The name "Saqqajja" originates from the Arab period, from a spring of fresh water in the area. The fountain of the spring that we see today was commis ...

Wignacourt Museum Wignacourt is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: House of Vignacourt *Adrien de Wignacourt (1618–1697), Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller from 1690 to 1697 *Alof de Wignacourt (1547–1622), Grand Master of the Knights Ho ...

Districts in Rabat

* Baħrija *Bieb ir-Ruwa *Landrijiet *Għajn Qajjet *Għar Barka *Kunċizzjoni * Fomm ir-Riħ *Miġra Ferħa *Tas-Salvatur *Tas-Salib *Il-Lunzjata *Għemieri (Gomerino) *Għajn Klieb *Ħofra ta' Ritz *Il-Ħemsija *Misraħ Suffara *Mtaħleb *Nigret *Nigret tal-Ħarruba *Raba Nemel *Ras ir-Raħeb *Rdum tal-Lunzjata *Rdum tal-Vigarju *Ħal-Bajjada *Ta'Qasgha` *Ta' Busugrilla *Ta' Cassia *Ta' Fantin *Ta' Gerżuma *Ta' Lawrenti *Ta' Manduca *Ta' Namura *Ta' Sirena *Tal-Infetti *Tabja *Tal-Forok *Tal-Marġa *Tal-Virtù *Tat-Torri *Tax-Xieref * Ras ir-Raħeb *Santa Katarina (tad-Daħla) *

*Wied Gerżuma *Wied il-Baħrija *Wied il-Bużbież *Wied il-Fiddien *Wied iż-Żebbuġ *Wied Liemu *Wied Rini *Wied tal-Isqof *Wied tal-Marġa *Xagħra tal-Isqof

Thoroughfares

*Misraħ il-Parroċċa (Parish Square) *Misraħ San Duminku (Sant Dominic Square) *Pjazza tas-

(Saqqajja Square) *Telgħa tas-Saqqajja (Saqqajja Hill) *Triq Ġorġ Borg Olivier (George Borg Olivier Road) *Triq Għajn Qajjet (Ghajn Qajjet Road) *Triq Għeriexem (Gheriexem Street) *Triq Ħad-Dingli (Dingli Road) *Triq Ħal Bajjada (Hal Bajjada Street) *Triq il-Buskett (Buskett Road) *Triq il-Kbira (Main Street) *Triq il-Kulleġġ (College Street) *Triq it-Tiġrija (Tigrija Street) *Triq Santa Rita (St Rita Street) *Triq tat-Tabija (Tabija Street) *Vjal il-Ħaddiem (Labour Avenue)

Band clubs and feasts

*St. Paul, Conte Roger Band Club (Każin San Pawl Banda Konti Ruġġieru) *St. Joseph, L'Isle Adam Band Club A.D. 1860 (L-Għaqda Mużikali L'Isle Adam A.D. 1860) http://www.bandalisleadam.com/ *Festa Titulari tal-martirju ta’ San Pawl http://sanpawl.rabatmalta.com *Festa Sekondarja ta' San Gużepp http://sanguzepp.rabatmalta.com *Festa Prinċipali u Solenni ta' Corpus Domini *Festa tal-Madonna taċ-Ċintura http://www.rabatmalta.com/amcsaa *Festa ta' Santa Katarina tad-daħla *Festa ta' San Anton Abbati *Festa tal-Madonna tas-Saħħa *Festa tal-Immakulata Kunċizzjoni *Festa tat-Twelid ta-Marija - l-Imtaħleb *Festa ta' San Martin - Baħrija

Sport

Rabat has its own

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

club called

Rabat Ajax F.C. Rabat Ajax Football Club is a Malta, Maltese football (soccer), football club based in Rabat, Malta, Rabat. The last promotion to the Maltese Premier League was achieved in the 2011–12 season, when they earned promotion after finishing second b ...

Rabat won the Maltese Premier League twice ( 1984–85 Maltese Premier League and

1985–86 Maltese Premier League The 1985–86 Maltese Premier League was the 6th season of the Maltese Premier League, and the 71st season of top-tier football in Malta. It was contested by 8 teams, and Rabat Ajax F.C. won the championship. League standings Results Referen ...

), and the Maltese Cup once in 1986.

Twin towns — sister cities

Rabat is twinned with: *

Tarquinia Tarquinia (), formerly Corneto, is an old city in the province of Viterbo, Lazio, Central Italy, known chiefly for its ancient Etruscan tombs in the widespread necropoleis, or cemeteries, for which it was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. ...

, Italy

References

External links

Rabat Local Council
{{Authority control Towns in Malta Local councils of Malta Phoenician colonies in Malta