A population of just 250 souls resides within the ancient walls of Mdina, earning it the nickname the Silent City. This quietude is enforced by a strict prohibition on motor vehicles, allowing only residents, emergency services, and horses to traverse the narrow, winding streets.
Around the 8th century BC, the Phoenicians established a colony known as Ann, sharing its name with the island itself and likely functioning as its administrative capital. The Roman Republic later captured Malta early in the Second Punic War and renamed the settlement Melita.
The Byzantine city of Melite fell to Aghlabid invaders led by Halaf al-Hādim in 870, an event that ended in a brutal massacre and the destruction of the city's churches. The marble from these looted churches was repurposed to build the castle of Sousse in Tunisia.
During the Great Siege of Malta in 1565, Mdina served as the base for the Order of St. John's cavalry, which launched daring sorties against the invading Ottomans. On the 7th of August 1565, the cavalry attacked an unprotected Ottoman field hospital, forcing the invaders to abandon a major assault on the main fortifications in Birgu and Senglea.
The 1693 Sicily earthquake caused severe damage to Mdina, partially destroying the 13th-century Cathedral of St. Paul, which was subsequently rebuilt in the Baroque style by Lorenzo Gafà between 1697 and 1703. A major renovation began on the 3rd of November 1722, when Grand Master António Manoel de Vilhena ordered the restoration of the city.
In the 21st century, Mdina has become a major tourist attraction, hosting approximately 1.5 million visitors annually who walk its car-free streets. The city serves as the filming location for the fictional capital of King's Landing in the first season of HBO's Game of Thrones and features prominently in literature.