Rabat ( ) is a town in the Western Region of

Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...

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

Mdina Mdina ( ; ), also known by its Italian epithets ("Old City") and ("Notable City"), is a fortifications of Mdina, fortified city in the Western Region, Malta, Western Region of Malta which served as the island's former capital, from antiquity ...

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

Apostolic Nunciature An apostolic nunciature is a top-level diplomatic mission of the Holy See that is equivalent to an embassy. However, it neither issues visas nor has consul (representative), consulates. The head of the apostolic nunciature is called a ''nuncio ...

of the

Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...

to the Republic of Malta is seated in this village. The Local Council of Rabat is also the administrator of

Baħrija Baħrija is a village in Rabat, Malta, Rabat, Malta, with a low population density. The name Baħrija means ''moth'' in Maltese language, Maltese. It is also known in English as Baħria, of which the Counts Moscati had owned the fiefdom that was gr ...

. Parts of the films ''

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

'' 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 a ...

'' were shot in Rabat. In December 1999,

Mtarfa Mtarfa () 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 silos were disc ...

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 Malta is subdivided into 6 regions (). Three regions were originally created by the Local Councils Act of 1993, and were integrated into the constitution in 2001. Two of the regions were split into smaller ones by Act No. XVI of 2009, and Malta w ...

Etymology

Rabat is an

Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

word which can mean "fortified town" or "suburb". The Arabic term

Ribat A ribāṭ (; hospice, hostel, base or retreat) is an Arabic term, initially designating a small fortification built along a frontier during the first years of the Muslim conquest of the Maghreb to house military volunteers, called ''murabitun' ...

refers to a small fortification to host military volunteers.

Catacombs

Rabat is home to the Catacombs of

St. Paul Paul, also named Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Christian apostle ( AD) who spread the teachings of Jesus in the first-century world. For his contributions towards the New Testament, he is generally ...

and of

St. Agatha Agatha of Sicily () is a Christian saint. Her feast is on 5 February. Agatha was born in Catania, part of the Roman Province of Sicily, and was martyred . She is one of several virgin martyrs who are commemorated by name in the Canon of the Mas ...

. These

catacombs Catacombs are man-made underground passages primarily used for religious purposes, particularly for burial. Any chamber used as a burial place is considered a catacomb, although the word is most commonly associated with the Roman Empire. Etym ...

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 administered by

Heritage Malta Heritage 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 (along with the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage) replaced ...

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

Bible The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...

, St. Paul stayed here 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 children's graves. There are sections for

pagan Paganism (, 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 Christianity, Judaism, and Samaritanism. In the time of the ...

s and

Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

, as well as for Christians. There are also unique

fresco Fresco ( 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 plaster, the painting become ...

es. Another feature of the Maltese catacombs is the

agape (; ) is "the highest form of love, charity" and "the love of God for uman beingsand of uman beingsfor God". This is in contrast to , brotherly love, or , self-love, as it embraces a profound sacrificial love that transcends and persists rega ...

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

* Annunciation Church (

Carmelite Fathers The Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (; abbreviated OCarm), known as the Carmelites or sometimes by synecdoche known simply as Carmel, is a mendicant order in the Catholic Church for both men and women. Histor ...

) *

Casa Cosmana Navarra Casa Cosmana Navarra () 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 the Collegiate church of St ...

* Church dedicated to St Martin of Tours (

) * 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 (, abbreviated OP), commonly known as the Dominican Order, is a Catholic Church, Catholic mendicant order of pontifical right that was founded in France by a Castilians, Castilian priest named Saint Dominic, Dominic de Gu ...

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

Conventual Franciscans The Order of Friars Minor Conventual (O.F.M. Conv.) is a male religious fraternity in the Catholic Church and a branch of the Franciscan Order. Conventual Franciscan Friars are identified by the affix O.F.M. Conv. after their names. They are ...

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

Domus Romana The Domus Romana (Latin for "Ancient Romans, 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, Rabat, Malta. It w ...

* 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 The Santo Spirito Hospital (, English: Holy Spirit Hospital), originally known as the St. Francis Hospital, is a former hospital in Rabat, Malta, Rabat, Malta which functioned from at least the 14th century to 1967. Since 1994, the hospital buildi ...

- ( National Archives of Malta) * 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 several religious orders that follow the Rule of Saint Augustine, written about 400 A.D. 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 Catacombs are some of the most prominent features of Malta's early Christianity archeology. The archeological clearing of the site has revealed an extensive system of underground galleries and tombs dating from the third to the eight ...

St. Paul's Missionary College St. Paul's Missionary College (abbreviated to SPMC) is a Maltese Junior School and Secondary School situated on Emmanuele Vitale Street in Rabat, Northern Region. History Founded by the Missionary Society of St Paul as a non-fee-paying schoo ...

* 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 Fortifications of Mdina, 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 ...

Wignacourt Museum The Wignacourt Museum is a museum in Rabat, Malta, Rabat, Malta. It is housed in an 18th-century Baroque architecture, Baroque building which housed the Chaplains of the Knights Hospitaller, Order of St. John, and it is named after Grand Master A ...

Districts in Rabat

*Bieb ir-Ruwa *Landrijiet *Għajn Qajjet *Għar Barka *Kunċizzjoni *

Fomm ir-Riħ Fomm ir-Riħ (meaning ''mouth of the wind'' in Maltese) is a small bay in the limits of Mġarr on the western side of the island of Malta. The area is characterised by a fault line which creates an interesting landscape with vertical cliffs and a ...

*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 Ras ir-Raħeb, known also as Ras il-Knejjes is a scenic limestone promontory in north-western Malta, close to the hamlet (place), hamlet of Baħrija. The headland is located in the administrative area of the Local councils of Malta, council of R ...

*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 -

Sport

Rabat has its own

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

club called

Rabat Ajax F.C. Rabat Ajax Football Club is a Maltese football club based in Rabat. The last promotion to the Maltese Premier League was achieved in the 2011–12 season, when they earned promotion after finishing second behind Melita. In the 2020–21 Nationa ...

Rabat won the Maltese Premier League twice (

1984–85 Maltese Premier League The 1984–85 Maltese Premier League was the 5th season of the Maltese Premier League, and the 70th season of top-tier football in Malta. It was contested by 8 teams, and Rabat Ajax F.C. won the championship. The season saw the relegation of Flo ...

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. Teams League standings Result ...

), 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 Etruscans, Etruscan tombs in the widespread necropolis, necropoleis, or cemeteries. Tarquinia was designated as a ...

, Italy

References

External links

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