The main cultural assets of Malta

Malta's several cultural heritage elements have become important symbols of identity for the Maltese people. Malta is famous for its unique prehistoric megalithic sites and hypogea, together with buildings and fortifications from the late Renaissance and Baroque periods, but has also evidence from all periods of its history. Local traditions such as village feasts have remained an important and vibrant part of the inhabitants' way of life. Its intercultural background is best seen in the complex Maltese language, which reflects various periods of its history.

The legal framework on cultural heritage conservation

In Malta, the Cultural Heritage Act (2002) provides for and regulates national bodies for the protection and management of cultural heritage resources. Building development and land-use are regulated by the Development Planning Act (2016 and subsequent amendments).

World Heritage Sites are protected by buffer zones that are formally scheduled as Grade A archaeological sites, which means they are subject to restrictions of building development. The application of these restrictions varies according to the local context.

The cultural and natural sites on the World Heritage List

Malta has three sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Megalithic Temples of Malta and the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum represent the archipelago's architectural and artistic heritage from the Neolithic, yielding evidence from the earliest settlement in Malta up to the Early Bronze Age. They represent a distinctive architectural form that was highly innovative and sophisticated for its time; a fundamental reference point for the history of architecture.

The City of Valletta, built as of 1567, was an ideal creation of the late Renaissance with a uniform urban plan and bastioned walls modelled around a natural site. It is affiliated with the history of the Order of the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem, one of the greatest military and moral forces of modern Europe. The city includes a compact ensemble of 320 monuments that encapsulate every aspect of the civil, religious, artistic and military functions of its founders.

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Mandates in ICCROM Council since 1958:

ICCROM Staff since 1959: - None -

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Governmental Cultural Institutions

• Ministry for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government
  
• Heritage Malta
  
• Superintendence of Cultural Heritage
  

Museums and Cultural Heritage Institutions

• St John’s Co-Cathedral and Museum
  
• Mdina Cathedral Museum
  
• Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna
  
• Din l-Art Ħelwa
  

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