Walk in Valletta Photo

Photographer’s Note

Walk in Valletta
-Moods from Europe- VI.

Valletta, the capital city of Malta, is built on the northern half of the Sciberras peninsula, which separates the Grand Harbour from Marsamxett Harbour. The city is completely surrounded by fortifications and covers an area that is 900 meters by 630 meters The street plan is based on a more or less uniform grid. Republic Street divides one side of the city from the other and runs from Fort St. Elmo to the City Gate. Many of the streets that run parallel to Republic Street fall steeply as you get closer to the tip of the peninsula. Transverse street begin as flights of stairs at each end. The stairs do not conform to normal dimensions since they were constructed so as to allow knights in heavy armour to be able to climb the steps. The steps contributes towards the uniqueness of Valletta. Any irregularities that occur in the streets grid were imposed on it by the lie of the land and the need to have unhampered communications around the circuit of the fortifications.

Valletta was the brainchild of Grand Master Jean de la Valette. When the knights agreed, although reluctantly, to make Malta their headquarters, de la Valette quickly realized that they needed a defensible city to protect the island against the Turkish hordes that had driven them out of Rhodes and had followed them all the way to Malta. At the Grand Master's request, the Pope sent his own architect and Michelangelo's assistant, Francesco Laparelli, to Malta to help with the building of Valletta. Arriving in Malta on December 28th, 1565, he had the plans for the city drawn within three days. On March 28th, the new city was officially born. The inauguration ceremony was held on the site of the Porta Reale (the site of the entrance gates to Valletta) and the city was christened Valletta after the Grand Master. The bastions surrounding the city are impressive indeed but were never tested. Perhaps the Turkish generals realized that they were no match against the fortified city. The Grand Harbour is virtually lined with a string of bastions. Fort Sant' Elmo and Fort Ricasoli (the largest fort in the Commonwealth) protect the entrance to the harbour. Fort St. Angelo and the walls of Birgu and Senglea across the harbour shield its flank. The Grand Master died before the city was finished.
(Source: www.maltagozo.com)

mikolaj_kawa, vasilpro, jlbrthnn, paura, bobocortis, jjcordier, dareco has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

dug3544 (100) 2009-07-02 1:11

good photo

mauro61 (14442) 2009-07-02 1:17

ciao george,
bello il taglio con la lunga prospettiva tra le case.
Le auto in questo caso non sono elementi di disturbo ma a mio parere riempiono lo scatto.
un saluto
maurizio

mikolaj_kawa (29308) 2009-07-02 1:23

Hello George! Excellent symmetry. Amazing POV and composition. Original idea. Good work. Very good effect. Well done!

alibasarir (14233) 2009-07-02 1:23

merhaba George,
caddeyi son derece mükemmel bir bakış açısı ile yansıtmışsınız kadraja.özellikle binalar ile araçların uzayıp giden görünümü oldukça etkileyici görünüyor.ayrıca renkler,ışık ve netlikte nefis olmuş elinize sağlık.
selamlar
Ali

wolf38 (12435) 2009-07-02 2:17

Hello George. Wonderfully. A photo with a fantastic perspective. Very beautifully. Regards, Wolfgang.

claudigan (2680) 2009-07-02 2:26

Hello Georges,
The perspective is amazing with a kind of symetry. Also, i like the pov with the 2 tourists. It is like a Méditeranean Chicago!
Really fantastic!
Regards,
Claude.

BennyV (4429) 2009-07-02 3:10

Another excellent Malta shot. You've really put Valetta on the map here, George. I can't wait to go and discover it myself. Thanks for the inspiration.

Benny

vasilpro (7877) 2009-07-02 3:14

Hello George,
Excellent vertical format from daily life in Valletta, very nice composition, I like this street with the interesting architecture and the vivid colors.
Have a nice day, Vasilis.

jlbrthnn (36702) 2009-07-02 3:48

Hello George,
It is a quite pleasant return towards Malta, and the civil architecture of Valette. The cars do not have vast carpark on this exiguous territory. Beautiful typical and authentic image. Cheer.
Have a nice day
Cordially
Joël

John_F_Kennedy (30486) 2009-07-02 3:56

I love such little streets, especially with this nice perspective. I like the fine details. Good image.
Best wishes,
Achim

serp2000 (9119) 2009-07-02 4:08

Privet, George,
Beautiful! Excellent view! An interesting note, I have a plane to visit Malta next time. TFS!
Warm regards from Ural,
Serghei

paura (37658) 2009-07-02 4:20

George,
A arquitetura é absolutamente incomum aqui. O POV está fantástico, propiciando uma bela visão da interessante paisagem.

Abraço

Paulo

npecanhuk (12919) 2009-07-02 9:01

Hello George!
Pretty interesting urban scene and city life view!
The repetitive pattern of the architecture of both sides of that street works greatly with the double row of cars and the visual result of that is quite attractive! Strolling people make it livelier and they look informal (not posing) which's important in my opinion for the beauty of the image!
TFS - congratulations!
Best regards,
Neyvan

TGULUMSER (12396) 2009-07-02 10:35

Hello George,
You captured a great shot of this interesting Mediterranean city. The architecture is nice and the summer light is great,
Best regards,
Tulay

Morac (19813) 2009-07-02 10:40

Hello George,
Excellent vertical format.
The effect of depth is perfect and the alignment of this architecture is superb.
Regards
Marc

bobocortis (14068) 2009-07-02 12:10

Hello George.
An excellent perspective, thanks to the vertical format too. The human figures give vivacity to the shot.
Best regards.
Bobo.

jonathan_hart (22562) 2009-07-02 16:31

straight street and busy, cars and architecture details are so numerous! the quiet walking persons and no cars rollings makes this scene curious and interesting
jc

jjcordier (24010) 2009-07-02 22:07

George
Excellent POV qui donne un incroyable effet de perspective.Ton PP a bien compensé les différences de luminosité entre les deux côtés de la rue. Du très beau travail!
Amicalement
JJ

danyy (67810) 2009-07-02 22:39

Bonjour George,
un endroit très connu pour les acharnés de TE, il est vrai qu'il est tellment typique qu'il inspire peintres et photographes. Beaucoup de cadrages sont permis et les POV aussi , tes choix sont excellents.
Une p^rofondeur et une perspective très réussies.
Excellent we.
Daniel.

hay_kes (28554) 2009-07-02 22:46

Hi George,
What a superb perspective vith great ligting and POV.TFS.
Cheers,
hAyAti

ophelcia (5295) 2009-07-03 9:35

Hi!
It's always difficult to show the level od the street, here - the masterpiece:)
Gosia

dareco (17024) 2009-07-03 13:53

Awesome perspective! Very good detail, and an interesting and beautiful street. Great depth. TFS

Angshu (33185) 2009-07-05 21:05

Dear George
The sweeping upward curve, the narrow street & the row of cars creates a wonderful perspective. Interesting how the cars are parked bumper to bumper on the road itself. Another fine picture of yours from Valletta
Regards
Angshu

argycon (2749) 2009-07-06 1:49

Hi George,
Very good composition. The architecture looks very interesting. Great choice of POV with fine symmetry!
The vertical frame suits it perfect.
tfs
friendly
kostas

Graal (57098) 2009-07-07 7:01

Jó napot George,
nice perspective of street, good composition and well done photo. Amazing architecture. Another interesting presentation from Valetta. I like it.
Gr., Aleksander

amaryllis (16959) 2009-07-07 23:20

Bonjour Georges
ne superbe perspective de cette rue animé avec cette montée, les voitures en décalé plus haut à cause des marches (je pense) et la présence de ces silhouettes marchant au beau milieu.
une belle scène de la vie quotidienne
nice day
juliette

Bluejeans (31417) 2009-07-11 2:30

Ola George,
Muito interessante esta rua de Valletta, tem uma arquitectura magnifica com estas varandas cheias de detalhes, bom uso da foto na vertical, parabéns!!
Um abraço Gonçalo

Silvio1953 (40583) 2009-07-17 9:06

Ciao George, great urban view with fantastic perspective, splendid composition, very well done, have a good week end, ciao Silvio

aadilj (17950) 2009-07-22 4:54

What fabulous depth and such an amazing scene with intricate use of the tones and lights George. Surely an amazing piece of composition

Greg1949 (8499) 2009-07-28 4:19

Looks like the city San Francisco (Ca) was modeled after. Great shot tho I am not a lover of the over exposed sky. Maybe a crop to cur it off would work. Even with that said it is a great capture.

Greg

macjake (1128) 2009-09-30 23:13

Hi again George

This is one of my favorite shots i've seen of yours.

love the composition with the cars lined all the way up.
and having the people, give it scale.
Good eye to capture this scene!

thanks again
Craig