Mdina, known as Malta's "Silent City" and former capital, is a fortified hilltop town with a history spanning over 3,000 years, from Bronze Age settlers and Phoenician, Roman, and Arab, to Norman rule. Serving as the medieval administrative center, it is renowned for its blend of Baroque and medieval architecture, including St. Paul's Cathedral and Palazzo Falson, and has a population of only about 250-300 residents.