On 28 March 2016, MaltaPost will commemorate the 450th Anniversary of the foundation of Valletta with the release of a philatelic miniature sheet bearing one stamp and depicting Grand Master Jean Parisot de la Valette together with a period map of the city of Valletta.

Conscious of the dangers to which the Order had been exposed during the Great Siege of 1565, Grand Master de la Valette ordered that a new fortified city be built on a hill called Sheb-ir-ras. The Grand Master laid the city's first stone on 28th March 1566 and the new city would be named "Valletta" in his honour.

Valletta has been given many titles and descriptions through the years, among them ‘the Fortress City', ‘a city built by gentlemen for gentlemen', ‘a European Art City' and ‘a World Heritage City'. The mix of narrow streets and open piazzas boast some of Europe's finest churches, palaces and art works. Today improvement projects continue to be undertaken so as to ensure that the City remains modern yet true to its roots. These works will culminate in 2018 when Valletta will carry the title of European Capital of Culture.

The stamp bears a value of €4.25, was designed by Sean Cini of MaltaPost and will be issued in a miniature sheet format consisting of one stamp which measures 35mm x 35mm, with a perforation of 13.75 x 13.75 (comb.) bearing the Maltese Cross watermark. The sheet measures 123mm x 80mm. Printex Limited printed the sheet in the offset process and the issue consists of 25,000 sheets.

This philatelic Issue will be available as from Monday 28 March from all Post Offices in Malta and Gozo, online at www.maltaphilately.com or by mail from the Philatelic Bureau, MaltaPost p.l.c. 305, Qormi Road, Marsa MTP 1001; Telephone 2596 1740, email: info@maltaphilately.com.

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