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Għajnsielem
Għajnsielem (; meaning "Spring of Sielem") is a municipality on the southeastern coast of the island of Gozo in Malta, 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, 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 pl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Santa Cecilia Chapel
The St Cecilia Chapel ( or ''ta' Santa Ċilja'') is a former Roman Catholic chapel in the limits of Xewkija, Gozo, Malta, dedicated to Saint Cecilia. It was built around 1540, but it was deconsecrated in 1644, being converted into an ancillary building for the nearby Santa Cecilia Tower. The only surviving medieval chapel on Gozo, it was severely damaged in an arson attack in 2007 and partially collapsed in 2008. The chapel was then passed to the NGO Wirt Għawdex, which restored it between 2008 and 2011. Since its inauguration in 2012, the restored chapel is open to the public once every month. History The date of construction of the Santa Cecilia Chapel is unknown, but it is believed to date back to around 1540. The area around the chapel was referred to as ''Santa Cecilie del Mugiarro'' or in variants of that name in notarial documents dated 1424 and 1569. The surrounding area is still known as ''ta' Santa Ċeċilja'' or ''ta' Santa Ċilja''. The oldest recorded reference to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Santa Cecilia Tower
Santa Cecilia Tower ( or ''ta' Santa Ċilja'') is a tower in Għajnsielem, Gozo, Malta. It was built in 1613 by a member of the Knights Hospitaller, Order of St. John, and it could relay messages across the island. The tower remains in good condition and is a private residence. History Santa Cecilia Tower was built in 1613 by Fra Bernardo Macedonia, Commander of Artillery of the Knights Hospitaller, Order of St. John. It got its name from the nearby Santa Cecilia Chapel, the oldest surviving chapel on Gozo. The chapel eventually became an ancillary building to the tower. The tower was able to communicate with the batteries at Ramla Bay as well as Mġarr ix-Xini Tower, so it could relay messages across Gozo. It was also able to provide refuge for the local population in case of a corsair raid. Today, the tower is a private residence. It was included on the Antiquities List of 1925. The tower is now scheduled as a Grade 1 monument, and it is also listed on the National Inventory ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Our Lady Of Loreto Parish Church
Parish Church of Our Lady of Loreto is a Roman Catholic neo-gothic parish church located in the village of Għajnsielem on the island of Gozo, Malta. History New plans were drawn by Ugo Mallia to build a new parish church to replace the old parish church which became too small for the growing population. The foundation stone of the church was laid on 14 September 1924. The church was not completed until the mid 1970s due to a number of interruptions mainly WWII World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ... and two accidents in which the master mason broke his legs. Delays resumed when architect Mallia refrained from further work. Consequently plans were transferred to architect Guze D'Amato. When he died another architect took over. It was only on 27 August 1978 that the church ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Comino
Comino () is a small island of the Maltese archipelago between the islands of Malta (island), 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 is part of the municipality of Għajnsielem, in southeastern Gozo, from where one priest and one policeman commute. The island is a bird sanctuary and nature reserve (Natura 2000 marine protected area). Environment The island has a karst landscape supporting sclerophyllous shrubland. Some limited afforestation with pine trees has been carried out. The dune, sand-dunes at Santa Maria bay retain some native vegetation, including ''Vitex'' and ''Tamarix'' trees. The island has been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports fifty to eighty breeding pairs of yelkouan shearwaters. History Formerly called Ephaestia (Ἡφαιστεία in Ancient Greek), Comino is known to have been inhabited ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Local Councils Of Malta
Since June 30, 1993, Malta has been subdivided into 68 localities, governed by local councils, , meaning municipalities or boroughs, and considered by the Maltese as the equivalent to basic villages or towns, where appropriate. These form the most basic type of local government and are subdivisions of the country's first-level Regions of Malta, regions. According to the Local Councils Act (Chapter 363 of the Laws of Malta), Art. 3: (1) Every locality shall have a Council which shall have all such functions as are granted to it by this Act ... (5) Each locality shall be referred to by the name as designated in the Second Schedule and any reference to that locality shall be by the name so designated. List of Maltese local councils Political affiliation of mayors List of Maltese and Gozitan local communities councils Elections for these administrative committees were first ever held 2010 Maltese local elections, 27 March 2010, in the first 8 hamlets listed in this list, th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Districts Of Malta
Malta is for non-local government purposes divided into districts as opposed to the local government Regions of Malta, regions at the same level. The three main types of such districts – statistical, electoral at national level, and policing – have no mainstream administrative effect as the regions and Local councils of Malta, local councils function as the only administrative divisions of the country. Statistical districts and regions Six districts exist, used for statistical purposes and which are, in turn, grouped into five Regions of Malta, regions: , Northern Region, Malta, Reġjun Tramuntana, Central Region, Malta, Reġjun Ċentrali (both of which were formerly part of Malta Majjistral region), Southern Region, Malta, Reġjun Nofsinhar, South Eastern Region, Reġjun Xlokk (both of which were formerly part of Malta Xlokk region), and Gozo Region, Gozo. Each district consists of several Local councils of Malta, localities. The Northern Harbour District, Western Dis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mġarr Ix-Xini Tower
Mġarr ix-Xini Tower () is the largest of the coastal watchtowers that the Knights of Malta erected on the island of Gozo. It watches over the entrance to the bay of Mġarr ix-Xini, limits of Għajnsielem, which lies on Gozo's south-west coast. It was completed in 1661, and its design is similar to the De Redin towers that were commissioned by Grand Master Martin de Redin. Wirt Għawdex, a heritage NGO, has restored the tower. It is open to the public. It is one of four surviving coastal watchtowers on Gozo, with the others being Xlendi Tower, Dwejra Tower, and Isopu Tower. The Garzes and Marsalforn towers were destroyed in the 18th and 19th centuries. History Mġarr ix-Xini Tower was completed by June 1661, to a plan by Mederico Blondel. It cost an estimated 857 scudi, which were financed by the Università of Gozo. The design is similar to the De Redin towers on mainland Malta, having a square plan with two floors. However, the design differed since its entrance was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fort Chambray
Fort Chambray or Fort Chambrai () is a bastioned fort located in the precincts of Għajnsielem, on the island of Gozo, Malta. It was built in the mid-18th century by the Knights Hospitaller, Order of Saint John, in an area known as Ras it-Tafal, between the port of Mġarr (Gozo), Mġarr and Xatt l-Aħmar. The fort was meant to be the citadel of a new city which was to replace the Cittadella (Gozo), Cittadella as the island's capital, but this plan never materialized. The fort saw use during the French invasion of Malta in 1798, and was subsequently used as a military hospital and mental institution. The fort is currently being restored and redeveloped as a luxury accommodation. History Background and construction Fort Chambray is located on Ras it-Tafal, on high ground overlooking Mġarr (Gozo), Mġarr Harbour. The area was defended by Garzes Tower, which was built in 1605, and a coastal battery built in the early 18th century. The tower and the battery were demolished, and no ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gozo
Gozo ( ), known in classical antiquity, antiquity as Gaulos, is an island in the Malta#The Maltese archipelago, Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Republic of Malta. After the Malta Island, island of Malta itself, it is the second-largest island in the archipelago. As of 2021, the island has a population of around 39,287 (out of Malta's total 443,227), and its inhabitants are known as Gozitans (). It is rich in historic locations such as the Ġgantija temples, which, along with the other Megalithic Temples of Malta, 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 in Dwejra, San Lawrenz, 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, Gozo, In ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Garzes Tower
Garzes Tower (, or ''Torre della Garza''), also known as Saint Martin's Tower (), was a watchtower built in Mġarr, Gozo by the Order of Saint John in 1605. It was named after Martin Garzez, the Grand Master who financed its construction, even though it was eventually built after his death during the Magistry of Alof de Wignacourt. The tower was demolished in the 19th century; some remains were reused for the building of a bridge, and the site was developed with a hotel. It was built to the design of Vittorio Cassar. A number a coastal towers, built by Grandmaster Wignacourt, are traditionally attributed to Cassar and based on the Garzes tower. However this is probably based on speculations; It is likely that Cassar's design of Garzes Tower was used, and adequately modified, to build the other towers due to the similarity in their military architecture. Background In the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries, Gozo was prone to attacks by Barbary corsairs, along with most of Malta ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Xewkija
Xewkija (, , pronounced and written as Casal Sceuchia) is an Local councils of Malta, administrative unit and village of Malta, on the island of Gozo. The population of Xewkija is 3,300 as of March 2014. History Xewkija, which is between Għajnsielem and the main town of Victoria, is the oldest village in Gozo. It became the first parish outside Victoria on 27 November 1678. Bishop Miguel Jerónimo de Molina separated it from the Matrix. Dun Grezz Farrugia, from Valletta, became its first parish priest. It became the first district ''contrada'' known as ''casale'' "village". The name is derived from . Xewkija is famous for its church, The Rotunda of Xewkija, which is dedicated to John the Baptist, is the seat of the Knights Hospitaller, built from Maltese stone by local masons and craftsmen. The church is the largest in Gozo and its dome dominates the village. Its architect was Ġużè Damato. It replaced an older church. The titular statue of Saint John the Baptist was sculpt ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Qala, Malta
Qala () is an administrative unit of Malta, on the island of Gozo, with a population of 1,929 as of September 2019. Nearby is Ħondoq ir-Rummien, a coastline with salt pans and caves. Etymology The name Qala derives from Siculo-Arabic. Qala Council Members Paul Buttigieg (PL) Mayor of Qala, Ivan Cefai (PL) Deputy Mayor of Qala, Joseph Buttigieg (PL), Karl Buttigieg (PN), Valerie Cassar Mejlak (PN), About the town Qala is first referred to in a fifteenth-century portolan in the Vatican Library. Its name refers to the ('port') of . It is the easternmost village of Gozo. The development of the present settlement began in the second half of the seventeenth century. Except for a few sheltered inlets like Ħondoq ir-Rummien, Qala's coastline is largely rugged. Sea caves along the coast include Għar Minka, which is accessible only by boat. Qala is located at the easternmost point of Gozo, and is the village furthest from the capital Victoria and closest to the rest of the Maltes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
