Għarb () is an

administrative unit Administrative divisions (also administrative units, administrative regions, subnational entities, or constituent states, as well as many similar generic terms) are geographical areas into which a particular independent sovereign state is divi ...

Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...

, located at the westernmost point of the island of

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 ...

, with a population of 1,549 people (as of 2021).

Etymology

The name ''Għarb'' (غرب) comes from the Arabic word for "West," referring to the village being at the westernmost point on Gozo and all of the

Maltese archipelago The geography of Malta is dominated by water. Malta is an archipelago of coralline limestone, located in Europe, in the Mediterranean Sea, 81 kilometres south of Sicily, Italy,From Żebbuġ in Malta, coordinates: 36°04'48.2"N 14°15'06.7"E to Cav ...

History

Għarb started as a small hamlet which developed around the Middle Ages. 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 a façade which has been compared to

Francesco Borromini Francesco Borromini (, ), byname of Francesco Castelli (; 25 September 1599 – 2 August 1667), was an Italian architect born in the modern Switzerland, Swiss canton of Ticino

's Church of Saint Agnes in

Piazza Navona Piazza Navona () is a public open space in Rome, Italy. It is built on the site of the 1st century AD Stadium of Domitian and follows the form of the open space of the stadium in an elongated oval. The ancient Romans went there to watch the '' a ...

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

. On the square is a folklore museum housing memorabilia recounting the

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 socia ...

of the Maltese islands.

Landmarks

Għarb lies in some of Gozo's most scenic countryside, particularly at Dbieġi, the highest hill on Gozo. 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 Our Lady of Ta' Pinu. The parish church, also a

basilica In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica (Greek Basiliké) was a large public building with multiple functions that was typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek Eas ...

, is dedicated to the Visitation of Saint Mary to her cousin Saint Elizabeth.

Zones in Għarb

*Birbuba *Ħodba *Il-Wileġ *San Katald *Ta' Lamuta *

Ta' Pinu The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta' Pinu () is a Roman Catholic minor basilica and national shrine located some from the village of Għarb on the island of Gozo, the sister island of Malta. Pope Pius XI granted a ...

*Ta' Santu Pietru *Il-Fgura *Taż-Żejt *il-Wilġa *Wied tal-Knisja *Wied il-Mielaħ *Ta' Ħries *Fuq il-Blata *Tat-Trux *Il-Misraħ

Notable people

Frenċ tal-Għarb Francis Xavier Mercieca (, 3 December 1892 – 19 May 1967), more commonly known as Frenċ tal-Għarb, was a farmer and healer from the village of Għarb in Gozo, Malta. He was a service apostle of Ta' Pinu, Our Lady of Ta' Pinu. Early life Fren� ...

Karmni Grima Karmni Grima (2 February 1838 – 25 May 1922) was a Maltese peasant whose mystical religious experience led to the constructions and services as an apostle of Our Lady of Ta' Pinu. Biography Karmni Grima was born in the village of Għarb in G ...

* Nikol Ġużeppi Cauchi * Nazzareno Formosa *

Ġużepp Portelli Ġużepp Portelli (8 December 1880 - 7 March 1949) was a Maltese Roman Catholic prelate who founded the present Ta' Pinu Basilica in Gozo. Early life and family Ġużepp (Joseph) Portelli was born in Għarb on 8 December 1880 to Luiġi Portelli ...

Twin towns – sister cities

Għarb is twinned with: * Castrolibero, Italy *

Massafra Massafra is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Taranto in the Apulia region of southeast Italy. History According to some hypotheses,Giuseppe Blandamura, ''Choerades Insulae'', Taranto, Tipografia Arcivescovile, 1925. Massafra was founded in ...

, Italy * Pace del Mela, Italy *

Tortona Tortona (; , ; ) 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 Spinetta Marengo, Marengo and the foothills of the Ligurian Apennines. Its ''frazione'' of ...

, Italy *

Torrent Torrent or torrents may refer to: * A fast flowing stream Animals * Torrent duck, a species of the family Anatidae * Torrent fish * Torrent frog, various unrelated frogs * Torrent robin, a bird species * Torrent salamander, a family of ...

, Spain * Cépet, France

References

External links

Għarb Local Council
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gharb Towns in Malta Local councils of Malta Gozo