Marsa

Marsa is a town in the South Eastern Region of Malta, with a population of 4,401 people as of March 2014. The name Marsa means "the harbour".HistoryMarsa is located on the Marsa Creek, a body of water formed by the flow of water from wadis in high ground nearby to the sea. The creek includes the Grand Harbour which the town is based on. A port was first established at Marsa by the Phoenicians. Remains of Roman constructions have been found close to the town. The Arabs used the area as a port and since then has been named as Marsa, meaning harbour.At the arrival of the Order of St John in Malta, a particular cultivated garden was among the few places observed. It is thought a foundry of the Order may have been located at Marsa. During the Great Siege of Malta of 1565, Marsa was used as a camp by troops of the Ottoman Empire. Following their defeat, Marsa became a barony containing a number of vineyards.In the 17th century a historical museum, the Museo di San Giacomo, was located at Marsa. This was created when Giovanni Francesco Abela converted his house into a museum and was the first of its type on Malta. Many of its artefacts are now held at the National Museum of Archaeology in Malta's capital city Valletta.