[WATCH] Knights-era cisterns and Second World War shelters in Valletta opened to the public

Underground cisterns in Valletta dating back to the time of the Knights and a series of second-world war shelters are now open to the general public. 

The ‘Underground Valletta’ attraction will be opened to the public on Wednesdays and Sundays. 

Joseph Mifsud from Heritage Malta explained how the Knights of St John had designed the underground reservoirs in order store water should the city be under siege. 

Speaking from inside one of the reservoirs, he explained how the Cathedral of St John was built using stone quarried from the area. 

Giving the media a tour of the newly opened attraction, he explained how the underground system incorporated both water reservoirs, as well as a sewage system. 

The underground was system was later turned into a bombing shelter during the second World War. 

He said the underground tunnels and shelters could hold a population of around 38,000 people while axis powers carried out aerial bombings.