Republic Square — Misraħ ir-Repubblika — is a small but perfectly composed piazza off Republic Street, anchored by a white marble statue of Queen Victoria. The square is enclosed by the National Library on one side and shaded by trees, with cafe tables filling most of the space. It is one of the pleasantest spots in Valletta to sit and take stock between sightseeing.
The National Library alongside — the Bibliotheca — holds the archives of the Knights of St John, including the original document that established the Order's rights to Malta and the personal correspondence of various Grand Masters. The library is open to researchers and visitors who want to see the reading rooms; the archives are not on public display but the building itself, a late 18th-century neoclassical structure, is worth a look.