Set the scene.
Żejtun’s council connects the name with the fruit of the olive tree. Its Maltese motto makes that connection explicit.
Here’s the twist.
In 1797, Grand Master Ferdinand von Hompesch granted the town the title Città Bylandt, known in Maltese as Beland, after his mother’s surname.
Why it still matters.
The older place name remained familiar beside the honorary title. Compare the two: one recalls an agricultural word, while the other commemorates a ruler’s family connection.
🧠 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.