When Valletta was founded in 1566, a system of bastioned fortifications was built around the city, to a design by the Italian military engineer Francesco Laparelli.

This gate was located between Marina Curtain and St. Barbara Bastion on the eastern side of the city, facing the Grand Harbour.

The area around the gate bustled with activity, and it included a garden known as Ġnien is-Sultan, the Church of Our Lady of Liesse and the Fish Market.

The gate was designed by the Maltese architect Emanuele Luigi Galizia, and it was named after Queen Victoria.

[4] Victoria Gate consists of a double arched opening with an intersecting vault structure intended to allow traffic to pass through, and two small doors on either side to allow passage for pedestrians.