Vintage 1970 watercolour of the Grand harbour Malta in a pine glass front framed and mounted ready to hang some age related wear 27 cm wide 22 cm tall 2 cm depth 
The Grand Harbour of Malta has a rich and long history, dating back to the 8th century BC when the Phoenicians established a trading outpost there. Over the centuries, it has served as a strategic naval base, a scene of significant battles, and a vital harbor for various powers. 
Key historical points:
Phoenician Era:
The Grand Harbour's history begins with the Phoenicians, who recognized its strategic position and deep waters, establishing a trading outpost in the 8th century BC. 
Strategic Naval Base:
The Knights of St. John made it their naval base for 268 years, from 1530 to 1798, developing fortifications and dockyards. 
Great Siege of Malta:
The harbour witnessed much of the fighting during the Great Siege of Malta in 1565, where the Ottoman forces attempted to eject the Knights of St. John. 
British Influence:
The British Royal Navy established modern dockyard facilities in the Grand Harbour in the 19th century. 
World War II:
The Grand Harbour was heavily bombed during World War II due to Malta's strategic location, but it also served as a vital base for the Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943. 
Continuing Importance:
The dockyards continued to serve civilian vessels even after the military use ceased, operating under the firms Malta Drydocks and Malta Shipbuilding Company, Limited. 
Watercolor (American English) or watercolour (Commonwealth English; see spelling differences), also aquarelle (French: [akwaʁɛl]; from Italian diminutive of Latin aqua 'water'),[1] is a painting method[2] in which the paints are made of pigments suspended in a water-based[3] solution. Watercolor refers to both the medium and the resulting artwork. Aquarelles painted with water-soluble colored ink instead of modern water colors are called aquarellum atramento (Latin for "aquarelle made with ink") by experts. However, this term has now tended to pass out of use.[4][5]