Mellieħa ( mt, il-Mellieħa ) is a large village in the Northern Region of

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

. It has a population of 10,087 as of March 2014. Mellieħa is also a

tourist resort A resort ( North American English) is a self-contained commercial establishment that tries to provide most of a vacationer's wants, such as food, drink, swimming, lodging, sports, entertainment, and shopping, on the premises. The term ''resort ...

, popular for its sandy beaches and natural environment.

Etymology

The name ''Mellieħa'' is derived from the

Semitic root The roots of verbs and most nouns in the Semitic languages are characterized as a sequence of consonants or "radicals" (hence the term consonantal root). Such abstract consonantal roots are used in the formation of actual words by adding the vowels ...

''m-l-ħ'', which means ''

salt Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...

''. This is probably derived from the ancient Punic-Roman salt pans which existed at Mellieħa Bay. The site of the salt pans is now occupied by the Għadira Nature Reserve.

History

Prehistory to Middle Ages

Mellieħa was first inhabited in around 3000 BC, during the

Neolithic The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several pa ...

period. Several

megalithic A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a prehistoric structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. There are over 35,000 in Europe alone, located widely from Sweden to the Mediterranean sea. The ...

remains have been found, including the temple of Għajn Żejtuna, as well as several caves and tombs, in which tools and pottery fragments were found. During the Roman period, troglodytes began to live in the caves of Mellieħa's valleys. The cave settlements continued to exist during Byzantine rule, but were abandoned in the early medieval period. According to the

Acts of the Apostles The Acts of the Apostles ( grc-koi, Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων, ''Práxeis Apostólōn''; la, Actūs Apostolōrum) is the fifth book of the New Testament; it tells of the founding of the Christian Church and the spread of its messag ...

St. Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

was shipwrecked in Malta in around 60 AD, possibly in the nearby

St. Paul's Bay St. Paul's Bay ( mt, San Pawl il-Baħar) is a town in the Northern Region of Malta, sixteen kilometres () northwest of the capital Valletta. Saint Paul's Bay is the largest town in the Northern Region and the seat of the Northern Regional Comm ...

. According to local tradition,

St. Luke Luke the Evangelist (Latin: '' Lucas''; grc, Λουκᾶς, '' Loukâs''; he, לוקאס, ''Lūqās''; arc, /ܠܘܩܐ לוקא, ''Lūqā’; Ge'ez: ሉቃስ'') is one of the Four Evangelists—the four traditionally ascribed authors of t ...

, who was accompanying St. Paul, came across one of Mellieħa's caves and painted the figure of Our Lady on the rock face. In 409 AD, the cave was consecrated as a church, and it is now known as the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mellieħa. Mellieħa was one of the first ten parishes of Malta. It still existed in 1436, but it was abandoned soon afterwards in the late 15th or early 16th century, since the north of Malta was no longer safe due to raids by Muslim corsairs.

Under the Order of Saint John

Malta was one of the first regions that Muslims entered in the Mediterranean, and this is evident in the Islamic heritage of buildings and ancient relics of mosques and homes. In addition to that the Arabic language that has remained rooted in the language of the current people of the island, this was starting from year 826 A.D. and lasted for 220 years. During the early years of Hospitaller rule in Malta, Mellieħa remained abandoned. In the late 16th century, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mellieħa was rebuilt. The northern coast of Malta began to be fortified in the early 17th century. The first fortification to be built in Mellieħa was

Saint Agatha's Tower Saint Agatha's Tower ( mt, Torri ta' Sant'Agata), also known as the Red Tower ( mt, Torri l-Aħmar), Mellieħa Tower ( mt, Torri tal-Mellieħa) or Fort Saint Agatha ( mt, Forti Sant'Agata), is a large bastioned watchtower in Mellieħa, Malta. It ...

, which was completed in 1649. This large tower was built on Marfa Ridge, overlooking Mellieħa Bay, with clear views of

Comino Comino ( mt, Kemmuna) is a small island of the Maltese archipelago between the islands of Malta and Gozo in the Mediterranean Sea, measuring in area. Named after the cumin seed, the island has a permanent population of only two residents and ...

and

Gozo 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 ...

. The smaller

Għajn Ħadid Tower Għajn Ħadid Tower ( mt, Torri ta' Għajn Ħadid), originally known as ''Torre di Salomone'' and known by locals as Xagħra Tower ( mt, It-Torri tax-Xagħra), is a ruined watchtower in Selmun, limits of Mellieħa, Malta. It was built in 1658 as t ...

and Armier Tower were also built in the limits of Mellieħa in 1658. A series of coastal batteries,

redoubt A redoubt (historically redout) is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on earthworks, although some are constructed of stone or brick. It is meant to protect soldi ...

s and entrenchments were also built in Mellieħa in the 18th century. Several of these still survive, such as Mistra Battery, Vendôme Battery,

Wied Musa Battery Wied Musa Battery ( mt, Batterija ta' Wied Musa), also known as Swatar Battery ( mt, Batterija tas-Swatar), is a former artillery battery in Marfa, limits of Mellieħa, Malta. It was built by the Order of Saint John in 1714–1716 as one of a ser ...

and

Westreme Battery Westreme Battery ( mt, Batterija ta' Westreme), also known as ir-Rasus Battery ( mt, Batterija tar-Rasus) or Mellieħa Right Battery ( mt, Batterija tal-Lemin tal-Mellieħa), is a former artillery battery in Mellieħa, Malta. It was built by th ...

The Devil's Farmhouse The Devil's Farmhouse, also known in Maltese as Ir-Razzett tax-Xitan,Zammit, Anne (2014)"Farmers and fireworks don't mix" ''Times of Malta''. and officially as Ir-Razzett Tax-Xjaten (''The Farmhouse of the Devils'' or ''The Devils' Farmhouse''), ...

found at Ta' Randa area is an example of Maltese farmhouses built in the 18th century.

British period to present day

Mellieħa, as it is today, developed whilst Malta was under British rule. The village became a parish once again in 1844, and began to develop after the British encouraged people to settle in the area by giving leases to the population. The

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...

was built in various stages in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and it is said that the locals helped building the church. A postal agency opened in Mellieħa in 1891. Just before

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

Fort Campbell Fort Campbell is a United States Army installation located astride the Kentucky–Tennessee border between Hopkinsville, Kentucky and Clarksville, Tennessee (post address is located in Kentucky). Fort Campbell is home to the 101st Airborne Divi ...

was built in Selmun, whilst Mellieħa Fort was built on top of Mellieħa Hill as a lookout post. The British also built a number of pillboxes around the coastline of Mellieħa, for defensive purposes in case of an Italian or German invasion. Mellieħa has seen a lot of development since the end of the war. The Mellieħa Local Council was established by the Local Councils Act of 1993.

Geography

The town of Mellieħa stands on a group of hills on the northwest coast of the main island. Mellieħa proper consists of the areas of Mellieħa Heights, Santa Maria Estate, il-Qortin, Ta' Pennellu, Ta' Masrija and Tal-Ibraġ. The nearby villages of Manikata and Selmun also fall under Mellieħa's jurisdiction. Selmun Palace area

The town overlooks Mellieħa Bay, which includes Għadira Bay, the largest sandy beach in Malta. To the east of the town and bay, there is the Selmun peninsula, and

St Paul's Island St Paul's Island ( Maltese: ''Il-Gżejjer ta' San Pawl''), also known as Selmunett, is a small island off Selmun near the north-east of the main island of Malta. St Paul's Island is sometimes split into two islands by a shallow isthmus, and it i ...

s lie about 80 metres off the coast. Mistra Bay lies close to Selmun, and this marks the boundary between Mellieħa and

. The large Marfa Peninsula lies to the north of Mellieħa. It includes several small bays, such as

Armier Bay Armier Bay (in Maltese: ''Bajjet l-Armier''), is situated in the locality of Mellieħa, Malta. Armier Bay consists of two beaches, the biggest beach is known as Armier and the other one as Little Armier. The sea of this bay is crystal blue, like ...

and Paradise Bay, as well as the harbour of

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 we ...

, from which the

Gozo ferry 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 ...

departs. The Marfa

Ridge A ridge or a mountain ridge is a geographical feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for an extended distance. The sides of the ridge slope away from the narrow top on either side. The line ...

spans across a large part of the peninsula. To the south of Marfa Ridge, there are Anchor Bay and Popeye Village, Majjistral Nature and History Park, the hamlet of Manikata and

Golden Bay Golden Bay may refer to: * Golden Bay / Mohua Golden Bay / Mohua is a shallow, paraboloid-shaped bay in New Zealand, near the northern tip of the South Island. An arm of the Tasman Sea, the bay lies northwest of Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere a ...

. The boundary with

Mġarr Mġarr ( mt, L-Imġarr), formerly known as ''Mgiarro'', is a village in the Northern Region of Malta. Mġarr is a typical rural village situated in an isolated region, west of Mosta. It is surrounded with rich farmland and vineyards. Many of it ...

lies at

Għajn Tuffieħa Għajn Tuffieħa is a bay and sandy, red beach which is located in Mġarr, Mġarr, Malta. The bay is south of Golden Bay. It is quieter than Golden Bay and often visited by Maltese natives themselves as well as tourist visitors. To reach this bea ...

Tourism

Mellieħa is a popular tourist destination during the summer months. It is well known for its beaches, with the most well known being Għadira Bay and Golden Bay. Ċirkewwa is also popular as a dive site, and it includes the wrecks of MV ''Rozi'' and the

P29 patrol boat ''Boltenhagen'' (GS09) was a Kondor I-class minesweeper built in East Germany. After the Volksmarine was disbanded just before the reunification of Germany, she was sold to Malta in 1997 and renamed ''P29'' and was used as a patrol boat. After ...

. In 2009, Mellieħa was awarded the title of European Destination of Excellence due to its sustainable initiatives.

Mellieħa main roads

*Dawret il-Mellieħa (Mellieħa By-Pass) *Triq Ġorġ Borg Olivier (Ġorġ Borg Olivier Street) *Triq il-Kbira (Main Street) *Triq il-Marfa (Marfa Road) *Triq il-Prajjiet (Anchor Bay Road) *Triq Louis Wettinger (Louis Wettinger Street) *Triq San Pawl il-Baħar (St. Paul's Bay Road)

Twin towns – sister cities

Mellieħa is twinned with: *

Adenau Adenau () is a town in the High Eifel in Germany. It is known as the ''Johanniterstadt'' because the Order of Saint John was based there in the Middle Ages. The town's coat of arms combines the black cross of the Electorate of Cologne with the l ...

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Cavriglia Cavriglia is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of Arezzo in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southeast of Florence and about west of Arezzo. Cavriglia borders the following municipalities: Figline Valdarno, Gaiole in Chianti, ...

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France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

Gallery

File:Mellieha Views.jpg, File:Mellieha Day time view.jpg, File:Mellieha view from a local hotel.jpg, File:Mellieha views.jpg, File:Mellieha night time view.jpg, File:Mellieha.jpg, Mellieħa Parish Church File:Malta - Mellieha - Misrah il-Parocca - Sanctuary of our Lady of Mellieha 01 ies.jpg, Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mellieħa File:Malta - Mellieha - Triq il-Marfa - Il-Madonna tal-Ghar 13 ies.jpg, Il-Madonna tal-Għar File:Malta - Mellieha - Triq Gorg Borg Oliver + Misrah iz-Zjara tal-Papa Gwanni Pawlu II 02 ies.jpg, Bars and restaurants File:Mellieha 093.JPG, Residential area File:Mellieħa ridge 01.jpg, Cliffs with cave dwellings File:Mellieha.jpg, File:Għajn Żnuber Tower.jpg, Għajn Żnuber Tower File:Malta - Mellieha - il-Manikata (N) 02 ies.jpg, Manikata File:Malta - Mellieha - Majjistral Nature and History Park (Ghajn Znuber Tower) 01 ies.jpg, Majjistral Nature and History Park File:Malta - Mellieha - Triq tal-Prajjet - Anchor Bay+Popeye Village 01 ies.jpg, Anchor Bay and Popeye Village File:Malta - Mellieha - Anchor Bay + Marfa Ridge + Ras il-Qammieh (Ghajn Znuber Tower) 01 ies.jpg, Ras il-Qammieħ File:Malta - Paradise beach.jpg, Paradise Bay File:Cirkewwa.jpg,

Harbour File:Malta - Mellieha - Triq ir-Ramla tat-Torri l-Abjad + Armier Tower 01 ies.jpg,

File:Malta - Mellieha - Triq ir-Ramla tat-Torri l-Abjad - Armier Tower 02 ies.jpg, Armier Tower File:Mellieha Bay view on Mellieha Malta 21.jpg, Għadira Bay File:Malta - Mellieha - Triq il-Marfa - Ghadira Nature Reserve (St. Agatha's Tower) 01 ies.jpg, Għadira Nature Reserve File:Malta - Mellieha + Mellieha Bay (Keppel) 01 ies.jpg, Town of Mellieħa File:Ghajn Hadid Tower view to the West.JPG, Selmun coastline File:Malta - Mellieha (Keppel) 03 ies.jpg, Għajn Ħadid File:Ghajn Hadid Tower closer view.JPG, Ruins of

File:Fort Campbell 14.jpg, Ruins of

File:St Paul's Islands 2009.jpg,

s File:Malta - Mellieha - Triq Selmun - Selmun Palace 13 ies.jpg, Selmun Palace File:Malta - Mellieha - Triq il-Mistra - Mistra Coastal Battery 02 ies.jpg, Mistra Battery File:St-pauls-bay-mistra-bay.JPG, Mistra Bay File:Malta - Mellieha + Mellieha Bay (Keppel) 02 ies.jpg, Mellieħa as viewed from the sea below

References

External links

Mellieħa Local Council official web siteMellieħa.com - Commercial & Information siteMellieħa travel information
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mellieha Towns in Malta Local councils of Malta