General view of the Chapel of Italy, St John's Co-Cathedral, 1571-77, Valletta, Malta, pictured on June 7, 2008, in the afternoon. The Republic of Malta consists of seven islands in the Mediterranean Sea of which Malta, Gozo and Comino have been inhabited since c.5,200 BC. Nine of Malta's important historical monuments are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including  the capital city, Valletta, also known as the Fortress City. Built in the late 16th century and mainly Baroque in style it is named after its founder Jean Parisot de Valette (c.1494-1568), Grand Master of the Order of St John. Designed by Girolamo Cassar after the Great Siege of 1565, the cathedral houses chapels for the 8 langues, or sections, of the Knights of St John. The Italian Chapel is dedicated to St Catherine. Picture by Manuel Cohen.