It wasn’t just siege tunnels that the Knights built. They also ordered the construction of vast, gridded drainage systems, far in advance of any other European city at the time. However, by the time the British took possession of Malta in the mid-19th century (and after a plague had wiped out 8,000 people in 1813), the drains were not fit for purpose. The new colonizers set about upgrading it.

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They also added another layer to Valletta’s secret underworld: a subterranean railway. Built in 1883 and running from Valletta to the suburb of Floriana and beyond, the underground rail transported commuters and goods across the island of Malta. It fell into disuse by the 1930s, but during the Second World War, it was used as an air raid shelter for 5,000 people. However, with only one toilet to go around, many of Valletta’s citizens preferred to dig their own bunkers underneath their homes.

Aerial bombing was a mainstay of Malta’s experience in World War II, being subjected to 3,000 raids by Italian, then Axis, forces. Men, women and children hastily built shelters beneath their houses and businesses, filling them with supplies and even personal touches, such as religious icons and wine bottles. Most were able to hold a family of four, and strung up with electric lights.

Explore Secret Subterranean Tunnels in Malta's Historical Capital City

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