Sliema tourist information

History ^*At the Great Siege of 1565, il-Qortin, as it was then known, was a camp centre for Turkish troops led by Dragut. He met his fate there, having been killed by a bombardment from Fort St. Elmo at the other flank of Marsamxett Harbour, where Sliema stands. Sliema eventually got its name from a chapel dedicated to The Virgin Mary, which served as a beacon and a reference point to the few fishermen who lived in that area. The name could have thus also been connected with the first words of the Hail Mary, which in Maltese is "Sliem Ghalik Marija". With the 'Gh' being silent so the first part of the phrase would sound like 'Sliem a'. Fort Tigne was eventually developed by the Knights of St. John in the late 18th century and further developed by the British in later years. The town began to develop rapidly in the early 20th century as a summer resort for wealthier Valletta residents. Their elegant villas and town houses lined the quiet, inland streets. At the town's north end there is a working class district known as The Lazy Corner (apparently named after a pub that was frequented by locals and British servicemen also developed and still stands today, albeit being changed by new housing developments). Various Victorian buildings graced its three kilometre promenade which overlooked rugged rocks, farms and even a small sandy beach. The farm was eventually abandoned and in 1990, was transformed into a beautiful coastline gardens known as Gnien Indipendenza (Independence Garden). The Victorian buildings were torn down and replaced by highrise luxury apartment blocks. A few Victorian, as well as art nouveau houses still remain in the inner streets, which have also borne the brunt of modern development. The Sliema promontory offers on one side stunning views across to Valletta and on the other, open sea views. The promenade, which runs for several kilometres from Gzira just south of Sliema to St Julian's, is ideal for walkers and joggers. There are plenty of seats along the promenade and on summer evenings the seafront becomes a sociable meeting place for locals.