Gozo (, ),

Maltese Maltese may refer to: * Someone or something of, from, or related to Malta * Maltese alphabet * Maltese cuisine * Maltese culture * Maltese language, the Semitic language spoken by Maltese people * Maltese people, people from Malta or of Malte ...

: ''Għawdex'' () and in

antiquity Antiquity or Antiquities may refer to: Historical objects or periods Artifacts *Antiquities, objects or artifacts surviving from ancient cultures Eras Any period before the European Middle Ages (5th to 15th centuries) but still within the histo ...

known as Gaulos ( xpu, 𐤂𐤅𐤋, ; grc, Γαῦλος, Gaúlos), is an island in the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Republic of Malta. After the island of Malta itself, it is the second-largest island in the archipelago. As of 2021, the island has a population of around 31,232 (out of Malta's total 443,227), and its inhabitants are known as Gozitans ( mt, Għawdxin). It is rich in historic locations such as the Ġgantija temples, which, along with the other

Megalithic Temples of Malta The Megalithic Temples of Malta ( mt, It-Tempji Megalitiċi ta' Malta) are several prehistoric temples, some of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, built during three distinct periods approximately between 3600 BC and 2500 BC on the island coun ...

, are amongst the world's oldest free-standing structures. The island is rural in character and less developed than the island of Malta. Gozo is known for its scenic hills, which are featured on its coat of arms. The Azure Window, a natural limestone arch, was a remarkable geological feature until its collapse on March 8, 2017. The island has other notable natural features, including the

Inland Sea An inland sea (also known as an epeiric sea or an epicontinental sea) is a continental body of water which is very large and is either completely surrounded by dry land or connected to an ocean by a river, strait, or "arm of the sea". An inland se ...

and Wied il-Mielaħ Window. There are few sandy beaches on the island, all small, as well as seaside resorts that are popular with both locals and tourists, the most popular being Marsalforn and Xlendi. Gozo is considered one of the top diving destinations in the Mediterranean and a centre for water sports.

Etymology

The island was named by the Aragonese after they conquered it in 1282. The word Gozo means "joy" in Castilian Spanish.

History

Gozo has been inhabited since 5000 BC, when farmers from nearby Sicily crossed the sea to the island. Due to the discovery of similar pottery found in both places from the Għar Dalam phase, it has been suggested that the first colonists were specifically from the area of Agrigento; however, it is currently unknown exactly where in Sicily the farmers came from. They are thought to have first lived in caves on the outskirts of what is now San Lawrenz. Gozo was an important place for cultural evolution, and during the Neolithic period the Ġgantija temples were built; they are amongst the world's oldest free-standing structures, as well as the world's oldest religious structures. The temple's name is

for "belonging to the giants", because legend in Maltese and Gozitan folklore says the temples were built by giants. Another important Maltese archaeological site in Gozo, which dates back to the Neolithic period, is the Xagħra Stone Circle. Also, native tradition and certain ancient Greek historians (notably

Euhemerus Euhemerus (; also spelled Euemeros or Evemerus; grc, Εὐήμερος ''Euhēmeros'', "happy; prosperous"; late fourth century BC) was a Greek mythographer at the court of Cassander, the king of Macedon. Euhemerus' birthplace is disputed, with M ...

and Callimachus) maintain that Gozo is the island Homer described as Ogygia, home of the nymph Calypso.

Diodorus Siculus Diodorus Siculus, or Diodorus of Sicily ( grc-gre, Διόδωρος ; 1st century BC), was an ancient Greek historian. He is known for writing the monumental universal history ''Bibliotheca historica'', in forty books, fifteen of which su ...

writes that the island had many well harbours. Gozo was occupied by the Carthaginians, who built a temple to Astarte on the islands. It was probably annexed by Rome around 218BC and minted its own

bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...

coins in the 1st centuryBC. These feature Astarte's head with a crescent obverse and a warrior, a star, and the legend ''Gaulitōn'' ( grc-gre, )

reverse Reverse or reversing may refer to: Arts and media * ''Reverse'' (Eldritch album), 2001 * ''Reverse'' (2009 film), a Polish comedy-drama film * ''Reverse'' (2019 film), an Iranian crime-drama film * ''Reverse'' (Morandi album), 2005 * ''Reverse'' ...

. In July 1551, the

Ottomans The Ottoman Turks ( tr, Osmanlı Türkleri), were the Turkic founding and sociopolitically the most dominant ethnic group of the Ottoman Empire ( 1299/1302–1922). Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks remains scarce, ...

under

Sinan Pasha Koca Sinan Pasha ( tr, Koca Sinan Paşa, "Sinan the Great"; c. 1506 - 3 April 1596) was an Albanian-born Ottoman Grand Vizier, military figure, and statesman. From 1580 until his death he served five times as Grand Vizier. In a Ragusan documen ...

and Dragut

invaded An invasion is a military offensive in which large numbers of combatants of one geopolitical entity aggressively enter territory owned by another such entity, generally with the objective of either: conquering; liberating or re-establishing con ...

and ravaged Gozo,

enslaving Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

most of its 5,000 inhabitants, bringing them to

Tarhuna Wa Msalata Tarhuna wa Msalata (Tarhuna and Msallata) was a district of Libya until 2007.Libya, their departure port in Gozo was

Mġarr ix-Xini Mġarr ix-Xini ( mt, L-Imġarr ix-Xini), is a bay close to Għajnsielem (southwest), Xewkija and Sannat (southeast) on the Maltese island of Gozo. It lies in a gorge to the west of Mġarr Harbour, accessible mainly from the nearest village of ...

. The island of Gozo was repopulated between 1565 and 1580 by mainland Maltese, undertaken by the

Knights of Malta The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), officially the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta ( it, Sovrano Militare Ordine Ospedaliero di San Giovanni di Gerusalemme, di Rodi e di Malta; ...

The history of Gozo is strongly coupled with the

history of Malta Malta has a long history and was first inhabited in around 5900 BC. The first inhabitants were farmers, and their agricultural methods degraded the soil until the islands became uninhabitable. The islands were repopulated around 3850 BC ...

, since Gozo has been governed by Malta throughout history. The brief exception was following the French garrisons surrender to the British under Captain Alexander Ball on 28 October 1798 during the

uprising Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority. A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...

against French forces after

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

's conquest of Malta. Gozo then enjoyed a short period of autonomy until the French garrison in Valletta surrendered on 4 September 1800. On that day both Malta and Gozo became a British Protectorate before becoming a

Crown colony A Crown colony or royal colony was a colony administered by The Crown within the British Empire. There was usually a Governor, appointed by the British monarch on the advice of the UK Government, with or without the assistance of a local Counci ...

in 1813. The

Gozo Civic Council Gozo (, ), Maltese: ''Għawdex'' () and in antiquity known as Gaulos ( xpu, 𐤂𐤅𐤋, ; grc, Γαῦλος, Gaúlos), is an island in the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Republic of Malta. After t ...

was set up as a statutory local government in the island of Gozo on 14 April 1961, the first experiment in civil local government in Malta since Gozo's short period of autonomy between 1798–1800. The law authorised the Council to raise taxes, although it never actually made use of this power. In 1971, the Malta Labour Party was voted into office. As its support in Gozo was weak and it favoured a more centralised administration, it proposed a referendum on the abolition of the Council, putting emphasis on the unpopular possibility of its raising taxes. In the

Gozo Civic Council referendum, 1973 The Gozo Civil Council (Abolition) Referendum was held in Malta on 11 November 1973. The referendum was facultative and non-binding and only voters registered in Gozo were allowed to vote, and is to date the only non-national referendum to have b ...

, 76.97% voters voted for the abolition of the Gozo Civic Council. In the mid-1980s, attempts were made to set up a Gozo committee, chaired by the prime minister and with the Gozitan members of Parliament as members. However, it was only in 1987 that the Ministry of Gozo was set up (demoted to a parliamentary secretariat between 1996 and 1998). Local government in the Gozitan localities was restored with the introduction of local councils in 1993 with Gozo having 14 councils.

Religion

The island has its own Latin bishopric, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gozo, the only

suffragan A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations. In the Anglican Communion, a suffragan bishop is a bishop who is subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop (bishop ordinary) and so is not normally jurisdictiona ...

of the Metropolitan

Archbishop of Malta The Archdiocese of Malta ( Malti: ''Arċidjoċesi ta' Malta'') is a metropolitan archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church in Malta. History Tradition claims that St. Paul the Apostle established the diocese of Malta in the year 60 ...

. Gozo contains a large number of Catholic churches. The Rotunda of Xewkija, in the village of Xewkija, has a capacity of 3,000, enough for the entire population of Xewkija village; its dome is larger than that of

St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in London and is the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London. It is on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London and is a Grad ...

in London. The church bells are rung daily for the

canonical hours In the practice of Christianity, canonical hours mark the divisions of the day in terms of fixed times of prayer at regular intervals. A book of hours, chiefly a breviary, normally contains a version of, or selection from, such prayers. In ...

Matins, Lauds, Terce, Sext, None and vespers. The most famous church on the island is the sanctuary of

Ta' Pinu The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta' Pinu ( mt, Santwarju Bażilika tal-Madonna ta' Pinu) is a Roman Catholic minor basilica and national shrine located some from the village of Għarb on the island of Gozo, the sist ...

, near the village of Għarb, in the northwest of Gozo.

Connection between Malta and Gozo

The islands have historically been connected by air and sea links. However, a helicopter service which connected the two ceased operations in 2006.

By ferry

Visitors can currently reach the island by ferry. There are regular crossings between the port of Mġarr on Gozo and

Ċirkewwa Ċirkewwa is a harbour situated on a point at the northernmost part of Malta. It is the site of the Ċirkewwa Ferry Terminal, where regular car ferries operate to the port of Mġarr in Gozo. In the summer, boat trips to Comino also operate, as w ...

on the northwest coast of Malta. The

Gozo Channel Line The Gozo Channel Company Limited, commonly known as Gozo Channel Line or the Gozo ferry ( mt, Vapur t'Għawdex), is a Maltese company founded in 1979 that operates ferry services between the islands of Malta and Gozo using Roll-on/roll-off (RORO ...

makes the trip every 45 minutes during the summer and almost as often in the winter. A return journey costs €4.65 and takes around 25 minutes each way. The service is used by tourists and commuters (including Gozitan students who study at the University of Malta), and is also used to transport goods between the islands. Each year, the route is used by around 1.1 million cars, and many more foot passengers. On arrival at Mġarr, visitors can take one of the 'Hop On Hop Off' buses, which depart from outside the ferry terminal and operate on a timetable synchronised to the ferry timetables. Public buses, taxis and hire cars are also available. Gozo Fast Ferry, an independently operated company, offers approximately 45 minute crossings between the Grand Harbour in Valletta, Malta and the port of Mġarr, Gozo. The ferries can seat 300 passengers and can reach a top speed of 32 knots. The ferries operate Monday through Friday and makes five round trips daily. The round trip fare for Gozitan residents is €4.50 and the round trip fare for non-resident adults is €12.00.

Proposed links

Tunnel

Several proposals have been made to construct a road link between Malta and Gozo. In 1972 the newly elected Labour Party administration carried out a feasibility study that concluded building a bridge between the two islands was possible, but would have negative environmental effects. A tunnel was also considered, but found to be too expensive at the time. An online poll by '' The Times of Malta'' in 2006 found that 55% of respondents supported a road link. In June 2013 a "mega Chinese state-owned company China Communications Construction Corporation Limited">China Communications Construction Company">China Communications Construction Corporation Limitedwill finance a €4 million study to assess the feasibility of a bridge between Malta and Gozo." "Depending on the feasibility of the tunnel and bridge projects, popular consultation will take place giving particular weight to what Gozitans have to say." "Gozo Minister

Anton Refalo Anton Refalo (born 1956 in Gozo) is a Maltese politician from the Labour Party. He was first elected to the Parliament of Malta in the 1987 Maltese general election from District 13. He has held a number of roles in the Maltese Government, incl ...

alluded to the possibility of calling a referendum to determine whether Gozitans prefer a tunnel or a bridge to connect Malta and Gozo" The study found out that the bridge would take four years to build and construction would cost €1 billion. Apart from this, operation and maintenance costs are estimated to cost up to €4 million every year — China Communications Construction Corporation Limited proposed to build the bridge by 2020. The idea of building a bridge is opposed by environmentalists and NGOs such as Din l-Art Ħelwa and Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar. An 11 km underground sub-seabed tunnel has been proposed in a report on the viability of a Gozo-Malta tunnel link by the Gozo Business Chamber (GBC) together with Transport Malta (TM). The Gozo Business Chamber is organising a presentation by economist Gordon Cordina, of the detailed report about the feasibility of a ‘Gozo-Malta Subsea Tunnel. In 2015, members from the GBC together with representatives from TM also visited Norway, where they spoke with experts, and toured several underwater tunnels. In December 2015, a group of students joined forces to create 'Front Favur il-Mina' to support a permanently-connected, tunnel project between Malta and its sister island. Several MPs endorsed the group. A catamaran service (fast ferry) to Gozo, ferry trips from the Grand Harbour and ultimately a tunnel linking Malta with the sister island are the main proposals pushed forward by the pressure group. Addressing a conference in Gozo organised by the pro-tunnel movement, Joseph Muscat said "The government intends to move forward with a project linking the two islands." Furthermore, former opposition leader

Simon Busuttil Simon Busuttil (born 20 March 1969) is the Secretary General of the EPP Group (European People's Party) in the European Parliament. Formerly, he was Leader of the Opposition. and Leader of the Nationalist Party in Malta and a Member of the E ...

confirmed during the same conference, that the Nationalist Party was in favour of the project and willing to cooperate with the government. The University of Malta carried out geological and geophysical investigations in connection with a proposed sub-sea tunnel between Malta and Gozo following an agreement with Transport Malta. Scientific investigations included both desktop and field studies, passive seismic measurements, bathymetric mapping, and a seismic study. The University of Malta conducted a marine baseline study which incorporated a geological model of topography,

stratigraphy Stratigraphy is a branch of geology concerned with the study of rock (geology), rock layers (Stratum, strata) and layering (stratification). It is primarily used in the study of sedimentary rock, sedimentary and layered volcanic rocks. Stratigrap ...

, structure, geological, geophysical and tectonic properties of the study area. During this phase of the study, scientists deployed a 300-metre-long cable with a series of specialised receptors. An ‘air gun’ released bursts of compressed air every few metres. The compressed air was reflected to the receptors. Different geological layers reflect different frequencies. Scientists could thus determine the geological formations that lie beneath the surface and determine possible cracks. Following such tests, more tests will be carried out; these will consist in the drilling of a series of boreholes, up to 200 metres below the sea bed, to determine the rock strata below the surface.

Catamaran

"Expressions of interest have been issued for a fast

catamaran A Formula 16 beachable catamaran Powered catamaran passenger ferry at Salem, Massachusetts, United States A catamaran () (informally, a "cat") is a multi-hulled watercraft featuring two parallel hulls of equal size. It is a geometry-stab ...

service between Gozo and Valletta as well as between Gozo and Sicily." In June 2013, the services would be aimed for use by both tourists and the Maltese and would involve public service obligations.

Air

An airstrip for fixed-wing aircraft on Gozo was proposed in the 1990s, but rejected for environmental reasons. In June 2013: "The government intends to issue a call for expressions of interest for the operation of a scheduled air service between Malta and Gozo."

Transportation

On foot

Many of the distances within villages are negligible and some of the roads are fairly quiet to walk along. However, there is often heavy traffic in the capital, Victoria and between Victoria and Mġarr. There is also a footpath network, although the paths require good shoes and a good map (they are not always clearly marked on the ground). There are longer distances if travelling between different villages, ranging from from one village to the next.

By bus

Although Arriva ceased to operate in Gozo and Malta in January 2014, their old vehicles are still being utilised and most routes remain the same, although there have been some amendments and additions. The most noticeable change at the moment is that the discrepancy between resident and non-resident fares has been abolished with all passengers now paying €2 for a 2-hour ticket in summer and €1.50 for the same ticket in winter, although other fares apply for the Tallinja Card holders. However as from October 2022, riding a bus in both Malta and Gozo has become free.

Other

A 'Hop-on, Hop-off' tourist bus service operates in Gozo. The open top bus tour of Gozo starts from the harbour of Mġarr and there are stops located along the route. In Gozo, there are 2 providers, City Sightseeing Gozo and Gozo Sightseeing.

Demographics

In 2005, the island had a population of 31,053, of whom 6,414 lived in its capital Victoria. As of 2017, the population increased to 32,723.

Geography

Gozo is famed for its places of interest. Some of these include the

Calypso's Cave Calypso's Cave (Maltese: L-ghar ta' Calisso) is a natural cave, located on the western side of the Ramla bay, in Xagħra, Gozo. The cave is alleged to be the one referenced in The Odyssey as the cave where the nymph Calypso kept Odysseus ...

(from Homer's Odyssey, where the island is called Ogygia) and the Ġgantija Neolithic temples which are amongst the oldest surviving man-made structures. Gozo covers , approximately the same area as New York City's Manhattan island. It lies approximately northwest of Malta, is of oval form, and is long and wide. Notable beaches in Gozo include San Blas and the beach at

Ramla Bay Ramla Bay (, "red sands") is a bay with a beach of reddish-coloured sand in Gozo, in the Maltese Islands. It lies on the north-east coast of the island, between the bays of Marsalforn and San Blas. The closest village is Xagħra. Planning permis ...

. Gozo is known to be very hilly. Research shows that there are at least 31 hills and hillocks on the small island. The best known "three hills" are the Citatel, the Xagħra- Nadur hill, and Żebbuġ. Other smaller hills and hillocks include

Il-Gelmus Il-Gelmus is a hill located in Victoria, Gozo, Victoria, Gozo, Malta, 1 kilometre away from Victoria's city centre. The estimated terrain elevation above sea level is 133 metres. The width at the base is 0.56 kilometres. In the area around Il-Ge ...

, Ta' Ġordan, and Id-Dabrani. Mgarr Ix-Xini large

Culture and traditions

Gozo is known for

Nadur carnival {{Use dmy dates, date=September 2015 The Nadur Carnival is unique among the many manifestations of Carnival. It is not organized by any committee and subsequently no rules apply. Sunset invites a multitude of masked and hooded creatures to thron ...

. Feasts are important traditions on the island and are held in honour of the patron saint of each village. The celebrations include religious ceremonies, fireworks and live band music, some feature

horse racing Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...

, concerts, and a greasy pole competition over the water. The local feast allows time for Gozitans to meet. In Nadur, many locals dress up in colourful, outrageous carnival costumes, with the intention of not being recognised. Some of Maltese dishes or variants of these dishes are associated with Gozo. Gozo is particularly known for its local cheeselet, ''ġbejna t'Għawdex''. Gozo has two opera houses. Astra and Aurora are owned by rival band clubs that both trace their founding to 1863. For over a century, they have been one-upping each other in everything from musical performances to feast-day celebrations. Once, when Aurora heard rumors that Astra planned to bring a horse onstage during a performance of ''Aida'', the competing house—which was presenting its own ''Aida''—secretly cast ''two'' horses. Some locals on the island compare the rivalry to an

arms race An arms race occurs when two or more groups compete in military superiority. It consists of a competition between two or more states to have superior armed forces; a competition concerning production of weapons, the growth of a military, and t ...

Wildlife

During the summer months on Gozo, you will often see the

Maltese Wall Lizard The filfola lizard or Maltese wall lizard (''Podarcis filfolensis'') is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. It is found in Italy (in the Pelagian Islands) and in the island group of Malta. Its natural habitats are Mediterranean-type ...

. The lizard was originally thought to be a variety of the Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis) of mainland Europe. For example, the naturalist

Andrew Leith Adams Andrew Leith Adams FRSE, FRS (21 March 1827 – 29 July 1882) was a Scottish physician, naturalist and geologist. He was the father of the writer Francis Adams.Gaston, A. J. in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Volume 1. pp. 222–223 ...

writing in 1870 reported "the common lizard (Podarcis mura/is)" as occurring on the islands. In 1876, Dr. J. Bedriaga named this Maltese variety filjolensis since the animals he studied came from the islet of Filfla. Later studies, however, showed that the lizards of the Maltese Islands were actually quite different from the Common Wall Lizard or any other species in the region and therefore Bedriaga's filjolensis became established as a distinct species whose full modern name is Podarcis filjolensis - the Maltese Wall Lizard. Maltese Wall Lizard (Gozo)

Sport

The island of Gozo also has its own national football team. Because it is a part of Malta and not a state on its own this team isn't official and thereby is on the

N.F.-Board The N.F.-Board (french: Nouvelle Fédération-Board) was a federation of football associations established on 12 December 2003. It was made up of teams that represent nations, dependencies, unrecognized states, minorities, stateless peoples, re ...

Gozo F.C. Gozo Football Club was a Maltese football club based on the island of Gozo. Gozo FC was founded in 1987. The club was disbanded following the end of the 2010-2011 season. Gozo FC was run by the Gozo Football Association. It represented the is ...

used to represent Gozo in the Maltese League, whilst a Gozo Football League is also maintained. Football on the island is managed by the

Gozo Football Association The Gozo Football Association (GFA) is the body that co-ordinates and organises football on the island of Gozo, Malta. Formed in 1936, it organises the Gozo Football League, which is split into two divisions, the First Division and the Second Di ...

. There is also a

rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...

club in Gozo; the Gozo Rugby Club opened its doors in 2011 and nowadays competes in the Malta Rugby Football Union and Malta Rugby League competition.

Education

The Malta campus of Queen Mary University of London is based in Gozo. It is designated an undergraduate medical school, with the same curriculum taught as the main UK campus. There is a branch of

MCAST The Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) ( mt, Il-Kulleġġ Malti tal-Arti, Xjenza u Teknoloġija) is a vocational education and training institution in Malta. Established in 2001, MCAST offers 180 full-time and over 300 part-tim ...

in Għajnsielem as well.

Media

Gozo was used to depict "Resolution Island" in the 1953 film '' Single-Handed'', based on

C. S. Forester Cecil Louis Troughton Smith (27 August 1899 – 2 April 1966), known by his pen name Cecil Scott "C. S." Forester, was an English novelist known for writing tales of naval warfare, such as the 12-book Horatio Hornblower series depicting a Roya ...

's book ''

Brown on Resolution ''Brown on Resolution'' is a 1929 nautical novel written by C. S. Forester, set during World War I. The hero of the novel, Leading Seaman Albert Brown, is the sole able-bodied survivor of a sunken Royal Navy warship, who single-handedly delay ...

''. For much of the film, the German raider ''Essen'' (depicted by ) is holed up in the semi-circular

Dwejra The Azure Window ( mt, it-Tieqa Żerqa, italic=no), also known as the Dwejra Window ( mt, it-Tieqa tad-Dwejra, italic=no), was a natural arch on the island of Gozo, located just off the shores of Malta. The limestone feature, which was in Dwe ...

Bay, behind

Fungus Rock Fungus Rock, sometimes known as ''Mushroom Rock'', and among the Maltese as Il-Ġebla tal-Ġeneral ( en, The General's Rock), is a small islet in the form of a massive lump of limestone at the entrance to an almost circular black lagoon in Dw ...

on the west coast of Gozo, and there are several scenes set amongst the desolate limestone cliffs above the bay as Able Seaman Brown single-handedly detains the German ship until her pursuers can catch up with her. In 1969, Anthony Newley directed the beach scenes of ''Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness?'' starring Joan Collins at Ramla Bay. In 1978, Kevin Connor's film '' Warlords of Atlantis'' starring Doug McClure was shot in

Marsalforn Bay Marsalforn Bay ( mt, Il-Bajja ta' Marsalforn) is a bay located in Marsalforn, Gozo Gozo (, ), Maltese: ''Għawdex'' () and in antiquity known as Gaulos ( xpu, 𐤂𐤅𐤋, ; grc, Γαῦλος, Gaúlos), is an island in the Maltese arc ...

. Two days of shooting in Gozo's strong Mediterranean light provided shots used to represent the desolate surface of the alien planet in the 1981 British horror film ''

Inseminoid ''Inseminoid'' (titled ''Horror Planet'' in the United States) is a 1981 British Science fiction film, science fiction horror film directed by Norman J. Warren. It stars Judy Geeson, Robin Clarke and Stephanie Beacham, along with Victoria Tenna ...

''. In 1981, parts of Episode 7 from ''Brideshead Revisited'' were filmed on the island, particularly in Kerċem, to depict

Fez Fez most often refers to: * Fez (hat), a type of felt hat commonly worn in the Ottoman Empire * Fez, Morocco (or Fes), the second largest city of Morocco Fez or FEZ may also refer to: Media * ''Fez'' (Frank Stella), a 1964 painting by the moder ...

in Morocco. Gozo was the location for Calypso's island in the 1997 Hallmark miniseries '' The Odyssey'' based on Homer's epic poem. Dwejra was one of several filming locations in the Maltese islands used for the 2011

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...

TV series ''

Game of Thrones ''Game of Thrones'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss for HBO. It is an adaptation of ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin, the first ...

''. The film '' By the Sea'', starring Angelina Jolie and

Brad Pitt William Bradley Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an American actor and film producer. He is the recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award. ...

was partially filmed at

from August to November 2014. The British television series ''

The Madame Blanc Mysteries ''The Madame Blanc Mysteries'' is a crime-drama television series produced by Saffron Cherry Productions for Channel 5 and Acorn TV written by Sally Lindsay and Sue Vincent. The series concerns a Cheshire antiques dealer (played by Lindsay) so ...

'' was filmed on the island in 2021.

Local councils

The following is a list of local councils in Gozo:

Notable features

The following is a list of notable features in Gozo: * Cittadella, including the Cathedral *

Santwarju tal-Madonna ta' Pinu The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta' Pinu ( mt, Santwarju Bażilika tal-Madonna ta' Pinu) is a Roman Catholic minor basilica and national shrine located some from the village of Għarb on the island of Gozo, the sis ...

* St. George's Basilica * Rotunda of Xewkija *

* Fontana Springs *

References

Citations

Bibliography

* . * .

External links

Visit Gozo – Gozo's Official Tourism Portal

Maltese Ministry for Gozo
{{authority control Islands of Malta Phoenician colonies in Malta NUTS 3 statistical regions of the European Union