Probably the most important attraction of Gozo, to which all tourists who have just landed in the port of Mjarra go, is the compact Citadel located in the town of Victoria. It seems to rise above the town and the whole island. Its walls, which can be climbed up steep stone stairs, offer an excellent panorama of the city and its surroundings, worthy of being captured in numerous tourist photos. Access to the Citadel is via Castel Hill Street from Victoria's main street, Republic Street.
A strategically convenient site for the construction of a fortress city on the island of Gozo was recognised by the Phoenicians. The settlement built by them existed under the Romans until it was destroyed during the Saracen raids. The present fortress was built by the Knights of Malta. There was a time when behind its high walls all the inhabitants of Victoria hid for the night. The wall around the most important city buildings was built in several stages during the 16-18th centuries. Many of the buildings on the Citadel grounds are in need of restoration.
The Citadel is small. You can walk around the fortress walls in about 20 minutes. Mainly on its territory are museums, among which the Archaeological and Folklore museums are particularly noteworthy. Their collections are housed in old mansions. There are also a few churches within the Citadel - the Cathedral, famous for its ceiling painting illusion, and the Chapel of St Joseph. Other local landmarks include the Armoury, the Granary building and the Old Prison. The Citadel is still home to the Gozo Island Tribunal. It occupies the Governor's Palace.
