Għarb ( mt, L-Għarb) is an
administrative unit 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 ...
, located at the westernmost point of the island of
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 t ...
, with a population of 1,539 people (as of March 2014).
History
Għarb started as a small hamlet which developed around the middle ages. The word ''Għarb'' is the Arabic word for ''West'', so it should be no surprise that the village is the most westerly place on Gozo. One can see its ancient roots in the centre of the village where some houses have fine examples of decorated stone balconies. Għarb was created as a parish in 1679, a move which gave impetus for the building of a new,
baroque parish church. Built between 1699 and 1729, it has an elegant façade which has been compared with
Francesco Borromini's
Church of Saint Agnes in
Piazza Navona,
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus ( legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
. The village square, so quintessentially
Gozitan, has become the view on many a postcard. On the square is a folklore museum housing all sorts of memorabilia retelling the Islands'
rural history
In historiography, rural history is a field of study focusing on the history of societies in rural areas. At its inception, the field was based on the economic history of agriculture. Since the 1980s it has become increasingly influenced by social ...
. Għarb lies in some of Gozo's most scenic countryside, particularly at Dbieġi, the highest hill on the Island. Also at Dbieġi is a centre for Gozitan crafts. Within the limits of Għarb is the Chapel of San Dimitri. According to legend, the first chapel was built on the cliff side by a woman whose son was freed from captivity by St. Demetrius. Also nearby is the
Basilica ta' Pinu, Malta's pre-eminent shrine to the Virgin Mary. It was on this spot in 1883, that a local woman heard the voice of the Virgin. 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 activitie ...
is dedicated to the visitation of
Saint Mary
Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jews, Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Jose ...
to her cousin
Saint Elizabeth. The late
Karmni Grima and
Frenċ tal-Għarb are two of its most renowned villagers.
Zones in Għarb
*Birbuba
*Ħodba
*Il-Wileġ
*San Katald
*Ta' Lamuta
*Ta' Pinu
*Ta' Santu Pietru
*Il-Fgura
*Taż-Żejt
*il-wilga
*Wied tal-Knisja
*Wied il-Mielaħ
*Ta' Ħries
*Fuq il-blata
*Tat-trux
*Il-misrah
Twin towns – sister cities
Għarb is
twinned
Twinning (making a twin of) may refer to:
* In biology and agriculture, producing two offspring (i.e., twins) at a time, or having a tendency to do so;
* Twin towns and sister cities, towns and cities involved in town twinning
* Twinning inst ...
with:
*
Castrolibero, Italy
*
Massafra, Italy
*
Pace del Mela, Italy
*
Tortona
Tortona (; pms, Torton-a , ; lat, Dhertona) is a ''comune'' of Piemonte, in the Province of Alessandria, Italy. Tortona is sited on the right bank of the Scrivia between the plain of Marengo and the foothills of the Ligurian Apennines.
Histo ...
, Italy
*
Torrent, Spain
*
Cépet, France
References
External links
Għarb Local Council
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gharb
Towns in Malta
Local councils of Malta
Gozo