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This blog is dedicated to Malta - my island home. My aim is not to bore you with history but to share my thoughts and a few facts together with a photo or two. For a more in -depth background of the island please go here. The purpose of this blog is not to point out the short-comings of the island. There are plenty that do that already. My wish is to show you the beauty of an island at the cross roads of the Mediterranean, a melting pot of history; a place where fact and fiction are sometimes fused to create unique myths and legends; a country that has been conquered so many times that our culture is a mish mesh of the lands that surround us and of lands far away. I confess that my greatest desire is to make you fall in love with this tiny enchanting island.

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Thursday 23 July 2009

Wayside Chapels - Our Lady of Victories


This chapel is situated in the picturesque village of Mtahleb (pronounced Imtahleb), one of the most unspoilt areas on the island. It is situated on the edge of a cliff. Beneath it lie slopes of fertile fields and the deep blue sea. It is one of our favourite picnic spots. The silence is broken only by the twittering of birds or by a farmer tilling his fields. The village is sparsely populated, mostly made up of a farming community. Up to about 50 years ago, the numerous caves that dot the cliffs were used by the farmers as shelters for their animals. It is a peaceful place. A place where time has almost stood still. Thankfully, it has, up to now, remained out of the clutches of greedy developers. I hope that things won’t change any time soon. I look forward to the winter months to go and picnic in the surrounding green fields and relish the sound of silence.





Historical Note
The current chapel of Our Lady of Victories was built in 1656. It is known as a juspatronatus, that is, the noble family that owned the surrounding land had the right to nominate the parish priest, or rector, who would look after the church. This privilege was held by the D’Amico Inguanez family of Mdina (Imdina). The titular painting was done by Pereira.

4 comments:

  1. I love the sound of silence too...I take lone walks in the woods on our property and so appreciate the silence there.

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  2. What a beautiful place this is. We are blessed to both still have such an unspoiled and peaceful place to go to. Places like this should never change, I feel the same about my grandmother's village.

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  3. Gorgeous photos. I bet you had a blast walking around photographing this place.

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  4. It must be a wonder place to be at and feel as though you're going back in time..I hope it won't change either..

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