Mdina — the Headless Bride

Mdina · Malta · Urban site

Katerina was allowed to marry minutes before her beheading — now the headless bride stands in the alleys, beckoning people to follow.

In the walled medieval city of Mdina they tell of Katerina, a young woman attacked by a knight in a dark alley who killed him by accident while fighting for her life. The court sentenced her to death by beheading, but permitted her to marry her true love just minutes before the sentence was carried out. Ever since, the headless bride is said to wander Mdina's silent streets at night, standing motionless at the end of the alleys and enticing passers-by to follow her. She is also said to appear to widowers and heartbroken men, urging them to give up on love and join her in death — and sometimes she shows up only afterwards, in tourists' photographs.

FAQ

Where is Mdina — the Headless Bride located?

Mdina — the Headless Bride is in Mdina, Malta.

More haunted places in Mdina

• Fort St Elmo Valletta · Fort
• Verdala Palace Siġġiewi · Palace
• Manoel Theatre Valletta · Theatre

Accounts are drawn from local folklore and visitor reports.

Image: R Muscat · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons