Hastings Gardens, Valletta

On the top of Saint John's and Saint Michael's Bastions, you'll find a public garden dedicated to Lord Hastings. Francis, Marquis of Hastings and governor of Malta, died in 1826 and is buried in the garden.

There is a local legend that the local Maltese are so hard working that the garden was constructed in only four hours.

There are other monuments in the garden as well. In 2009, a khachkar was dedicated by the local Armenian community. The khachkar was built in Armenia and presented as thanks to Malta providing refuge to Armenians in 1375 and 1915.

The Sette Giugno monumnet was moved here in 2010. The Seventh of June is remembered in Malta for the events on that day in 1919. British troops fired on a group of Maltese protestors, killing four of them. The tragedy led to a greater challenge of British colonial control over the island.

You will no doubt immediately notice one of the best reasons to visit the Hastings Garden. The views of the communities located north of Valletta and the Grand Harbour below are stunning. The gardens are a fabulous place to take in the sea air and to have a quiet break from the hustle and bustle of Republic Street.