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Tourist information - Valetta
The capital of Malta is inextricably linked to the history of the military and charitable Order of St John of Jerusalem. It was ruled successively by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs and the Order of the Knights of St John. Valletta's 320 monuments, all within an area of 55 ha, make it one of the most concentrated historic areas in the world. The principal architectural features are the residence of the governor, formerly the palace of the grand masters of the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem (also known as the Knights of Malta), and the cathedral containing tombs of the knights. The city's historical sites and temperate climate attract many tourists to Valetta. Valetta is the chief town, port, and capital of Malta, on the northeastern coast of the island of Malta, on the Mediterranean Sea. It occupies a rocky tongue of land, on either side of which are harbors. Valetta is the chief administrative, commercial, and cultural center of Malta. Until 1979 British and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) naval bases were located in Valletta's harbors. Now these ports have been converted for commercial service.
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