Neolithic Malta: Mnajdra Temples

Far away from the urban sprawl that characterises so many of our towns and villages, situated on a lonely cliff overlooking the sea and the island of Filfla, are the remains of three buildings known as the Mnajdra temples. The oldest, and simplest, building dates back to 3600BC.

 

There is much that is still unknown about these structures, much that is still conjecture and hypotheses. What we do know is that these temples were built during the Stone Age – no metal implements have been found at this site; and they most likely were  used in some sort of fertility ritual (animal remains and flint knives were excavated at this site). One of the temples (the Lower Temple) is said to have a particular astronomical alignment.

At the Equinoxes, the rays of the sun pass directly through the temple’s main doorway and  light up the main axis. During the summer and winter solstices, the sun lights up the megalith to the left and right of the doorway respectively. Whether this alignment is deliberate or accidental is still uncertain. The civilization that built them is long gone and they left no records behind. Evidence is scant and these structures will probably hold on to their secrets for many years to come.

Mnajdra temples have been on UNESCO’s World Heritage List since 1992. Since their excavation in the mid-1800s, these temples were open and exposed to the elements.  The oldest temple in the Mnajdra complex is one of the most ancient man-made structures in the world and pre-dates the pyramids of Egypt by about 1000 years. In 2009 the temples were covered with a tent-like structure that, from afar, resembles a giant sombrero, to protect them from the elements – particularly the harsh summer sun.

 

In 2001, considerable damage was done to these ancient buildings by a group of people who have no care for our history or our heritage. The area is now cordoned-off and guarded, but I can remember a time when there was nothing to stop you from visiting Mnajdra at any time of the day or night. I feel privileged to have had the wonderful experience of being one of only a handful of visitors there and to be able to take in the scenery, the beauty, the mystery and the awe surrounded only by silence and tranquility.

Location: Mnajdra Temples, l/o Qrendi

Opening Hours

Winter Hours - 1^st October till 31^st March

Monday to Sunday: 9.00-17.00
Last admission: 16.30

Summer Hours - 1^st April till 30^th September

Monday to Sunday: 9.00-19.00
Last admission: 18.30

Closed: 24, 25 & 31 December, 1 January, Good Friday

Snapshots of … Wied iz-Zurrieq (in Winter)

This rocky inlet located in the south-west of Malta is a favourite fishing spot with many. On calm days, colourful  Maltese boats bob about lazily in the water – a picture of complete serenity.

But in winter, the fury of the sea is not to be trifled with and on windy days, the boats are safely brought to shore to wait for more opportune weather.

One must certainly exercise caution and stay away from the water because, as all those of us brought up here know, it has a very fickle nature.

In the distance, the island of Filfla seems so close that it feels as if you can almost reach out and touch it.

Zurrieq is derived from the Semitic word zoroq which means blue. Quite an appropriate name, would’t you say?

Location: Wied iz-Zurrieq, December 2008 &  January 2010

Wayside Chapels: Our Lady of Carmel at Fawwara

I have, of course, already talked about Fawwara, the little hamlet beneath the cliffs that seems to be suspended in time. Today I want to share with you the tiny gem of a chapel dedicated to Our Lady Of Carmel that commands one of the most breath-taking views on the island. Surrounded by fields, plunging cliffs and cornflower-blue sea, the silence is almost deafening, the peace and tranquility a balm to the soul. The vista from the parapet stretches out for miles and seems to draw the eyes to the islet of Filfla, rising majestically out of the water.

The chapel was built in 1616 with funds provided by Girolama  Ciantar. It is said that at the time a severe drought hit the island  and a spring of fresh water, that fed the fields in the vicinity and which were owned by Girolama’s family, dried up with the consequence that the family was about to lose its crops. Girolama vowed that if the water started to flow again she would build a church on the spot. The lady prayed and the water did flow. Girolama Ciantar kept her promise and bequeathed her fields to the Brotherhood of Our Lady of Charity of St Paul’s Church Valletta. In 1669 the church was rebuilt by the brotherhood and subsequently restored in 1756. The feast of Our Lady of Carmel will be celebrated at the small chapel in Fawwara this coming Sunday.

Sometimes I feel as if I could go on and on writing about the magic of this place. It has captured my imagination to such an extent that I feel that, like the fabled Avalon, it does not belong to this world and that once we leave, the mists drift down and hide it away until it is time for another visit; that in the meantime everything will remain as it has for centuries until we venture again on the secret road that will lead us through the mists and to the reality that is on the other side.

Of course, the road is not really secret and no mists exist unless rain has fallen but I do believe that what we find when we get there depends on what we are looking for.

Silence. Solitude. Legends. Prayers. Miracles. Fantasy. In this place, so far from the crowds and from modern-day civilization, I believe that the impossible can, and does, happen.

This place is so unique that my photos alone cannot do it justice. Please visit this link at Malta In 360 . I promise you the few extra minutes you spend there will be worth it.

Photographed at Fawwara, April 2011

Historical information adapted from: A Hundred Wayside Chapels of Malta & Gozo by Kilin.

Fawwara – a Hidden Gem Beneath The Cliffs

Have you ever visited a place in your childhood that you never went to again but that lived on in your  memory as a place of spectacular beauty? Well, Fawwara was that place for me. Over the years I would hear  people talk about its uniqueness and its pretty views and I always longed to go back. But somehow, the time and opportunity never seemed to arise. But last Saturday we took the narrow, winding road to this little hamlet situated beneath Dingli cliffs.

The Chapel Of The Annunciation

So we followed the road that brought us first to the chapel of the Annunciation – above us the steep cliffs and below us the blue, blue sea. We headed on a bit more till the road just became a dirt path. At the end of the road was the chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Carmel (more about these two chapels in a future post). The view was magnificent: fields, the garigue, wild flowers, the sea and, in the distance, the little islet of Filfla.

And all around us, the sound of silence – broken only by the chirping and twittering of birds. In this place, time had stood still, nothing had changed and memories from my first visit so many years ago came flooding back. The view, the cliffs, the scattered farmhouses, the caves – the very same caves that had sheltered Bronze Age men and women – I could feel the place working its magic on me.

I had found a place which seemed untouched by the outside world and I felt that, like Rip van Winkle, I could stay there for an hour and a day only to return to the outside world and find out that 20 years had flown by while I was just gazing in rapture at nature’s wild beauty.

 

Note

I could not fund much historical information about Fawwara. The name Fawwara is derived from the Maltese word for a spring of natural water. The area of Fawwara known as Gebel Ciantar seems to have been settled since Bronze Age times when the inhabitants made use of the many caves that dot the cliffs as their dwellings. The cliffs themselves provided an impregnable fortress against any would-be marauders. In the 13th century it is said that the Arab overlord Ali Sid killed and tortured a number of young girls from Fawwara for refusing to convert to the Islamic faith. I could find no historical data to back this story. But then, what place would be complete without its legends?

The Chapel of Our Lady of Carmel