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In November 2008, I visited Malta
and Gozo for my first time and found them both to be fascinating islands.
Lourdes Church at Mgarr is the first
sight up from the quay and is known as the 'egg' church! Only in the
beginning of the 20th century that Mgarr got its own parish and fully
completed church. Note that the church is one of the largest after Mosta
church in the world. The unique shape, that of an oval dome, is attributed
to the extensive funds collected from the sale of locally produced eggs:
more than 300,000 were sold in aid of the project. |
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Lourdes Church at Mgarr |
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Dwejra |
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The Azure Window was created by waves and rough seas breaking on the rocks
over a period of thousands of years. On the top of two giant columns of
rock, each with a diameter of about 40 metres, rests a huge ledge of rock
measuring about 100 metres in length and 20 metres in height, forming a
giant window which one can see beyond. For centuries the Gozitans have known
this rare rock formation as it-Tieqa (the Window). |
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Known also as il-Gebla tal-General (the General's Rock), Fungus Rock stands
proudly and menacingly in the sweeping bay alongside the Inland Sea. It was
here that Fungus Gaulitanus, a fungus much prised by the Knights for its
medicinal powers, once grew. This rare plant was for centuries kept under
constant guard and anyone caught stealing it was instantly put to death. It
was so prized that it was often presented as a precious gift to
distinguished noblemen and visitors to the islands.
Due to the height and the sheer sides of the tall rock it was almost
impossible to scale these from the sea, so the Knights erected a hoist that
could carry a man to its flat top from the nearby watchtower on land. |
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Azure Window |
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Fungus Rock |
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It was completed in 1652 during the time of
Grand Master Jean Paul Lascaris Castellar and funded by the Universita' of
Gozo. A Capo Mastro or Castellano was in charge of the Tower and raised
money to cover expenses by producing salt from the salt pans in front of the
Tower. In 1744 Grand Master Pinto had the sides of nearby Fungus Rock, home
of the fabled fungus that had special medicinal powers, smoothed over to
make access more difficult.
The Tower was still in use during the eighteenth century when it was
equipped with three 6-pounder guns. It was manned by the Royal Malta
Fencible Artillery between 1839 and 1873 but then abandoned. During the
summer of 1914 Maltese troops from the King's Own Malta Regiment and the
Royal Malta Artillery were dispatched to the coastal watch towers and Dwejra
Tower was manned by No 3 Company with two, later four, 12-pounder guns.
During the Second World War the Tower was used as an Observation Post. One
recorded incident was the rescue of a Royal Air Force pilot, whose Spitfire
had crashed in Dwejra Bay in 1942, by Captain Frank Debono and Carmelo Zahra
of Victoria.
In 1956 the Tower was leased to Gerald de Trafford for a period of fifty
years. It was passed on loan to Din l-Art Helwa who commenced restoration
work in 1997, which was completed two years later. A considerable amount of
stonework had to be replaced on the outside and flagstones laid inside. |
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Dwejra Tower |
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At Dwejra on Gozo's southern coastline is a
superb natural phenomenon, the Inland Sea. Set in a deep recess in the rock
coastline, the Inland Sea is a large expanse of shallow water linked to the
sea outside through a narrow tunnel in the cliff. On calm days small fishing
boats carry visitors out to sea through the narrow fissure, in order to see
Fungus Rock and the Azure Window. |
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Dwejra Bay |
Inland Sea at Dwejra Point |
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Ta'Dbeigi |
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Church at Ta'Dbeigi |
Church door at Ta'Dbeigi |
Statue on the church at Ta'Dbeigi |
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Statue and facade of the church at Ta'Dbeigi |
Washing place at Ta'Dbeigi |
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Ta'Pinu |
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Ta'Pinu Basilica |
Doorway to Ta'Pinu Basilica |
Interior of Ta'Pinu Basilica |
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The Basilica of Ta’ Pinu is
the most famous place of pilgrimage for the Maltese Islanders. Its origins
go back to a day in June in 1883, when a woman heard the voice of the Virgin
Mary in an old chapel. In the following years, many miracles and acts of
grace were manifested at the site. Many believe that the prayers said
in the chapel saved Gozo from the plague, which had stricken Malta at that
time. The locals therefore decided to build a larger and more magnificent
church on the site in honour of the Blessed Virgin. Funds were raised from
Gozitans, including those living abroad and works on the new church began in
1920, with voluntary labour from the local community.
In 1931, Ta’ Pinu was consecrated and a year later Pope Pius XI raised it to
the status of Basilica. The original 16th century chapel was fully
integrated into the new church. |
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Victoria |
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A visit to Gozo should begin in Victoria, the
island's capital. Victoria was named after the English monarch Queen
Victoria, to commemorate her Silver Jubilee in 1897. Even today, many locals
still call it by its original name, Rabat (which means city).
This commercial hub with its street market (known as it-Tokk, in
Independence Square) also contains the Citadel (known often as the Gran
Castello or the Cittadella), an impregnable strategic point which owes its
origins to the late mediaeval era, and which was re-fortified by the Knights
of the Order of St. John to act as protection for the inhabitants. |
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vista from Victoria Citadel |
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A
distant Victoria church viewed from the Citadel |
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Within the citadel walls lies the cathedral designed by Lorenzo Gafa, built
between 1697 and 1711. Unfortunately it was covered in scaffolding. At the
time it was constructed, money was in short supply so its dome was never
erected, but this imperfection was brilliantly disguised by an Italian
painter, Antonio Manuele. In the interior of the Cathedral he created a
magnificent trompe l'oeil painting that shows the interior of a dome in full
splendor. |
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View over Victoria from the Citadel |
A
church in Victoria viewed from the Citadel |
Cathedral in the Victoria Citadel |
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View over Victoria from the Citadel |
View across Gozo from Victoria Citadel |
Canon on Victoria Citadel |
Coats of arms on a wall within the Victoria Citadel |
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Xlendi |
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Xlendi cliffs |
Xlendi Tower |
Xlendi cliffs and bay |
Xlendi Village |
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The Xlendi tower is the oldest free standing
coastal watchtower in Gozo. It was built during the reign of the Grand
Master Lascaris in 1650 at the expense of the Universita' (local government)
of Gozo. The main purpose of this Tower was to deny entrance and use of
Xlendi Bay to smugglers, pirates and evaders of quarantine. The Tower is 35
feet square and rises to a height of 30 courses. It has an architecturally
unique adjunct platform jutting out seawards. |
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