Għajnsielem (), meaning ''"Peaceful Spring"'', is a municipality on the southeastern coast of the island of
Gozo in
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 ...
, including the entire island of
Comino. It has a population of 3,200 residents (as of March 2014), and is the first Gozitan village that greets the visitor on leaving
Mġarr Harbour towards the Gozitan heartland. Its name originated from the water spring, around which in 1700,
Grandmaster Perellos built an arcade containing public wash basins and fresh water spouts. Attractions include Lourdes Chapel with its sharp steeple and underlying niche of
Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of Lourdes (french: Notre-Dame de Lourdes) is a title of the Virgin Mary. She is venerated under this title by the Roman Catholic church due to her apparitions that occurred in Lourdes, France. The first apparition of 11 February 1858, ...
,
Fort Chambray and the towering of Ghajnsielem Parish Church.
Village Motto and Coat of Arms
The Latin motto of Ghajnsielem is Ob fontem prosperitas, that is Flourishing because of a spring – Nistaghna b’nixxiegha ilma. The springs in the area were the magnet that attracted the first inhabitants that eventually led to the prosperity of the place.
Places
The following is a list of prominent places, buildings and structures in the village.
*
Mġarr Harbour
*
Fort Chambray
*Lourdes Chapel and Lourdes Home
*
Our Lady of Loreto Parish Church
*Apparation Square
*St Anthony's Church
*
Mġarr ix-Xini Tower
*
Comino
*Old Parish Church
*Imrejżbiet and Tal-Qiegħan Temples
*
Santa Cecilia Tower and
Chapel
A chapel is a Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. Firstly, smaller spaces inside a church that have their own altar are often called chapels; the Lady chapel is a common ty ...
*Niches around Ghajnsielem
*Borġ Għarib
*The Fougasse
*
Garzes Tower (demolished)
*Belvederes
*Gozo Heritage (closed)
*Xatt l-Aħmar
Band Clubs
*St. Joseph Band Club
L-Għaqda Mużikali San Ġużepp
Football Clubs
*
Għajnsielem F.C.
Zones in Għajnsielem
*Borġ l-Għarib
*Fort Chambray
*Ġnien Miġiaro
*Iċ-Ċens
*Il-Gudja
*Mġarr Port
*Mġarr Valley
*Imrejżbiet
*Rdum it-Tafal
*Ta' Briegħen
*Ta' Cordina
*Ta' Kusbejja
*Taħt il-Belt
*Tal-Palma
*Xatt l-Aħmar
*Żewwieqa
Għajnsielem Main Roads
*Pjazza Indipendenza (Independence Square)
*Pjazza Loreto (Loreto Square)
*Triq Borġ Għarib (Borg Gharib Road)
*Triq il-Fawwara
*Triq il-Ġnien (Garden Street)
*Triq il-Ħamri
*Triq il-Qala (Qala Road)
*Triq in-Nadur (Nadur Road)
*Triq ix-Xatt (Strand Street)
*Triq iż-Żewwieqa
*Triq l-Imġarr (Mġarr Road)
*Triq Sant' Antnin (St Anthony Road)
Twin towns – sister cities
Għajnsielem is
twinned with:
*
Bethlehem
Bethlehem (; ar, بيت لحم ; he, בֵּית לֶחֶם '' '') is a city in the central West Bank, Palestine, about south of Jerusalem. Its population is approximately 25,000,Amara, 1999p. 18.Brynen, 2000p. 202. and it is the capital o ...
, Palestine
*
Tolfa, Italy
*
Portet-sur-Garonne, France
See also
*
Radju Lauretana
References
External links
Għajnsielem Local Councilghajnsielem.comRadju Lauretana
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ghajnsielem
Towns in Malta
Local councils of Malta
Gozo