About
Victoria
Victoria is the official name of the only city of the island of Gozo. It lies in the geographical centre of Gozo and from various points of the City the streets leading to the sixteen localities of the island spread around like spokes radiating from the hub of the wheel. On 10 June 1887, on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the accession to the throne of Queen Victoria of the British Empire, the town of Gozo was renamed Victoria and raised to the status of a city. The city of Victoria embraces Iċ-Ċittadella, the ancient city-fortress of Gozo, as well Ir-Rabat, its suburb. Most people were not avid about its renaming and still refer to the town as Ir-Rabat. Ir-Rabat, Arabic and archaic Maltese for suburb, has been inhabited for millennia and, after a lull in the Middle Ages, it developed as a town in late medieval times. Its name is indicative of its antiquity, though it is only documented in 1449. The city of Victoria has two parish churches: the Cathedral of the Assumption within Iċ-Ċittadella; and the Parish Church of St George in the very core of Ir-Rabat.
Victoria huwa l-isem uffiċjali tal-unika Belt tal-gżira Għawdxija. Tinsab fiċ-ċentru ġeografiku ta’ Għawdex u minn diversi nħawi tal-Belt iserpu t-toroq li jwasslu għal-lokalitajiet mifruxa mal-gżira, l-istess bħalma l-mgħażlijiet joħorġu miċ-ċentru tar-rota. Fl-10 ta’ Ġunju 1887, fl-okkażjoni tal-Ġublew tad-Deheb minn meta r-Reġina Vittorja saret Kap tal-Imperu Brittaniku, il-Belt ta’ Għawdex ingħatat l-isem ta’ Victoria u l-ġieħ ta’ Belt. Il-Belt Victoria tħaddan kemm liċ-Ċittadella, il-Belt-fortizza antika ta’ Għawdex, kif ukoll Ir-Rabat, is-subborg tagħha. Ir-Rabat, kelma bil-Għarbi u bil-Malti antik għal subborg, ilu abitat għal millennji sħaħ u beda jiżvilluppa bil-kbir fi żmien medjevali tard. L-isem innifsu jixhed l-antikità tiegħu, għalkemm huwa dokumentat biss fl-1449. Il-Belt Victoria għandha żewġ knejjes parrokkjali: il-Katidral ta’ Santa Marija Assunta ġewwa ċ-Ċittadella; u l-Knisja Bażilika Parrokkjali ta’ San Ġorġ fil-qalba tar-Rabat.
