Set the scene.
In March 1864, Giuseppe Garibaldi lodged at the Imperial Hotel in Valletta’s St Lucia Street during a brief visit to Malta.
Here’s the twist.
Later called St James Hotel, the building was destroyed by enemy action in the Second World War. A cinema subsequently occupied its place.
Why it still matters.
A visitor’s journey can preserve the memory of an otherwise missing building. Follow the changing uses: accommodation, wartime loss, then a place where audiences gathered for films.
🧠 One to think about +
What does this story change about the way you see Malta today? Pick one detail you’d tell a friend — then check its source below.