---
title: "Mdina"
description: "Mdina"
url: "https://en.geneanum.com/malta/documents/geography/ile-de-malte/mdina"
language: en
source: "Digital Genealogy"
---

# Mdina

## Overview

**![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/Mdina-map.svg/250px-Mdina-map.svg.png)**

**L-Imdina**, also known as **Mdina**, is the former capital of Malta, hence its name ***Città Notabile***. It is a fortified city in the center of the island, seat of the locality of the same name. Mdina comes from the Arabic *médina* which means "city." It is nicknamed *The Silent City* (in French: *La cité silencieuse*).

The co-cathedral of Mdina, the Cathedral of Saint Paul, is located in the very center of Mdina.

### Other names

Città Vecchia, Città Notabile, L-Imdina, Melita, Notabile, Medina Notabile

## History

Founded by the Phoenicians as a trading center, Mdina was occupied by the Arabs who divided the city, which they found too large, into two distinct towns: Mdina and Rabat, from *Rabat* which means "suburb" (the suburb of Mdina or from *ar-Ribat* "fortified place" – even though it is Mdina that is fortified and not Rabat).

The Normans, on the way to the Crusades, liberated Mdina, then the city was attached to the Spanish crown. The Ottomans attacked the city but met with Spanish resistance and withdrew.

Later, Napoléon took control of the city, but his garrison was massacred during a popular uprising. The Maltese called on the English for help, who took control of the island and drove out the French.

## Genealogy

### ADAMI Archive

- Marriages 1557-1683, Mdina Cathedral (Cattedrale, Arcivescovile di Malta) \[Adami, v. 4\]
- Marriages 1684-1764, Mdina Cathedral (cont.) \[Adami, v. 4, cont.\]

> Source :  
> [Wikipedia](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mdina "Wikipedia")