Victoria, Malta

Victoria
Il-Belt Victoria
Città Victoria, Ir-Rabat, Għawdex
Town and Local council
View of Victoria
View of Victoria
Motto(s): 
A Magna Maxima
(From Great, Supreme)
Victoria is located in Malta
Victoria
Victoria
Victoria is located in Mediterranean
Victoria
Victoria
Coordinates: 36°2′37″N 14°14′35″E / 36.04361°N 14.24306°E / 36.04361; 14.24306
Country Malta
Region Gozo Region
DistrictGozo and Comino District
BordersFontana, Għasri, Kerċem, Xagħra, Xewkija, Żebbuġ
Government
 • MayorJosef Schembri (PN)
Area
 • Total2.9 km2 (1.1 sq mi)
Population
 (March 2014)
 • Total6,901
 • Density2,400/km2 (6,200/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Rabti t'Għawdex (m), Rabtija t'Għawdex (f), Rabtin t'Għawdex (pl)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
VCT
Dialing code356
ISO 3166 codeMT-45
Patron saintSt. George
St. Mary
Day of festa3rd Sunday of July (St. George)
15 August (St. Mary)
WebsiteOfficial website

Victoria (Maltese: Il-Belt Victoria, meaning "the city Victoria"), also known among the native Maltese as Rabat (which is the name of the old town centre) or by its title Città Victoria, is an administrative unit of Malta, and the main town on Gozo.[1][better source needed] Victoria has a total population of 6,901 (as of March 2014),[2] and is the most populous settlement in Gozo.

The area around the town, situated on a hill near the centre of the island, has been settled since Neolithic times. Victoria is the name given on 10 June 1887 by the British government on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria, at the request of Pietro Monsignor Pace, Bishop of Gozo (Monsignor Pace later became Sir Pietro Monsignor Pace, Titular Archbishop of Rhodes and Bishop of Malta). However, many Gozitans, mainly older Gozitans, still often refer to it by the name Rabat. It is usually known as Rabat, Gozo to distinguish it from the town of Rabat on the main island of Malta.

The New Zealand Grog Shop, Piazza San Francesco, Victoria (Rabato), island of Gozo, c.1916. The shop doubtless had an extensive clientele among the New Zealand troops stationed on Gozo.
  1. ^ Cassar Pullicino, Joseph (October–December 1949). "The Order of St. John in Maltese folk-memory" (PDF). Scientia. 15 (4): 163. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 April 2016.
  2. ^ "Estimated Population by Locality 31st March, 2014". Government of Malta. 16 May 2014. Archived from the original on 21 June 2015.