For millenniums, Mdina was Malta’s most important city because it could be easily defended on a hill in the middle of the island. But during the late 16th century, the coastal town of Valletta was built. Valletta’s coat of arms displays a shield and a lion so I suspect the pair of lions guarding the main gate of Mdina refers to the capital city. However, this stone sculpture lacks the turreted crown seen on all Maltese cities’ escutcheons. It could also reflect the period of British rule from 1800 until 1964 when Malta’s coat of arms featured a crowned lion.
