La Valletta with a population of 9129 inhabitants (1994 census), is the capital of Malta. Valletta is a settlement in the sixteenth century, with many buildings from the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, long the leaders of the city. It is named after
its founder, Grandmaster Jean de La Valletta. The Maltese is known as il-Belt colloquial language, meaning "city." The castle was damaged during air raids in World War II.