Wardija is a

hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

in St. Paul's Bay, Malta, about 363 feet above sea level. Its name is corrupted from the Sicilian or Italian word , meaning 'to watch'). Although the name of the hamlet has Arabic lexicons, it was probably named later when Maltese, then an Arabic dialect, remained a dominant language. The hamlet is bordered with

Bidnija Bidnija is a rural hamlet between Mosta, St. Paul's Bay and Mġarr. It is located in the northern region of Malta and is home to roughly 308 people per 2008, the second least populated habitable zone on the Maltese islands after Mdina (306 peopl ...

Buġibba Buġibba (English pronunciation: ) is a zone within St. Paul's Bay in the Northern Region, Malta. It is situated adjacent to Qawra, and it is a popular tourist resort, containing numerous hotels, restaurants, pubs, clubs, and a casino. History D ...

, San Martin and

Pwales Pwales is a settlement in St. Paul's Bay, 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 oft ...

. Several archeological remains are found in the whereabouts, proving that it was inhabited in pre-history and the Roman period, and it has always been mainly a rural village. From the 16th till the 18th-centuries it saw a shift into a hunting zone with the construction of several hunting lodges and chapels. A number of knights and noble families built their country residences, originally to be used for hunting and retreats. A number of 19th and 20th century structures were also erected in the area. Some houses are still owned by the descendants of the original builders, while others are now used for multiple purposes such as private homes, commercial accommodation, events and weddings receptions. There are two schools, one for local students and one for foreign students. There are a number of public and private chapels dating from the rule of the Order of St. John till the 20th century. Some houses have buttressed walls, possibly for defense purposes or general support, while other have defense features exclusively for decorative intent. A World War I battery was constructed in the whereabouts of Wardija, and its gun emplacements are still on site. A rental complex, known as the ''Wardija Hilltop Village'', and the Headquarters of the Ecumenical Order, known as

Castello Dei Baroni Castello Dei Baroni is a 20th-century residence in Wardija, Malta. In the 18th-century, during the magistracy of Grand Master Emmanuel de Rohan-Polduc, a rural building was constructed on site. The Montalto family owned the whereabouts of its sit ...

, are located at the inner part of Wardija. Wardija consist of a low and high land, its hill is a plateau, and Qannotta Valley is located within its boundaries. Rain water in Wardija is vital for agriculture, as a primary source of production, while it also flows into areas around such as to the now defunct Xemxija Aqueduct. Some lands in Wardija enjoy a conservation status from the

Environment and Resources Authority The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA, mt, Awtorità għall-Ambjent u r-Riżorsi) is the regulatory agency responsible for the natural environment in Malta. It was formed from the demerger of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority i ...

, while there are also pre-historic cart-ruts enjoying conservation from the Planning Authority.

Buildings

Notable residences

There are three Roman period villas at Wardija, all of which are in ruins. Wardija has a concentration of historic country residences. Casino Mifsud and St

Hunting lodge build during the magistracy of Perellos and Castello dei Baroni

* Casino Mifsud * Casa Navarra * Casa Manduca * Is-Sienja, formerly known as Casa Sant Manduca (built 17th century) ( Advance Dressing Station) * Castel Bertrand * Casa San Antonio, or Palazz tat-Telgha (Uphill Palace) * Qannotta Castle, or Palazz Qannotta * Castello tas-Salvatur * Palazzo Busietta *

*Palazz ta' Gerxija *Palazzo Promotorio *Dar San Frangisk * La Verna House * Villa Rosa Mundi *Rihana, a villa with top-of-the-line design. A highly architectural masterpiece.

Churches and chapels

Wardija has a large concentration of churches and chapels. * St. George Chapel, Wardija *Church of Our Lady, or Our Lady of the Abandoned Church * Immaculate Conception Chapel, Wardija *Our Lady of Graces, or Tal-Imrieha Chapel * St. John the Baptist Chapel, Wardija, or Tal-Hereb Chapel * St. Martin Chapel, Wardija * St. Nicholas Chapel, Wardija * St. Simon Chapel, Wardija *Chapel at Castello dei Baroni *Chapel with an unknown dedication

Other buildings and structures

*Rezul Lodge *Albizia Lodge *Wild Rose *Maria Regina College and Young Adult Education Resource Centre *

Wardija Battery Wardija Battery ( mt, Batterija tal-Wardija) was an artillery battery in Wardija, a hilltop in the limits of St. Paul's Bay, on the northern coast of Malta. It was built by the British in 1915, and saw use during World War I. It became obsolete ...

*Wardija Hilltop Village *Dar tal-Argentier

References

{{malta-LocalCouncils Populated places in Malta St. Paul's Bay

Buildings

Notable residences

Churches and chapels

Other buildings and structures

See also

References