Everyone has heard of Stonehenge, but few have heard of the just as impressive ‘It-Tempji tal-Ġgantija’ (short: Ġgantija) in Gozo. The two temples make up the oldest Neolithic site in Malta and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Ġgantija was built between 3600 and 3200 BC, but recent research suggests the temples could be significantly older. But even if they were only built in the listed timeframe, the site is older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Gizeh. In fact, it is the second oldest (known) manmade structure in the world. Only Göbekli Tepe in Türkiye is older.
I ended up visiting the site during my time in Gozo, and more than enjoyed it. The interpretation center on site tells you all you need to know to understand what you will see as you walk into the temples while also making it obvious why preserving these important monuments of human history is so vital. I promise you won’t regret visiting Ġgantija even if you are not a history geek like me.
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What is Ġgantija?
The south-east-facing Ġgantija temples are located on the Xagħra plateau which overlooks Gozo’s central valley. Archaeological evidence suggests that the site was a focal location of ancient rituals ceremonial rituals and feastings. It is assumed there was a focus on fertility rituals for nature and humans alike. Animal bones found on site hint at animal sacrifices.
The two temples have a shared boundary wall and the space between temples and the outer wall is filled with stones. The southern temple is larger and older (3600 BC), while the northern temple was built around 2900 BC. Both have five apses that flank a central corridor. When looked at from above, the shapes of the temples resemble a clover leaf or a woman.
The temples were no longer used after 2500 BC and why they were abandoned is not known. Current theories to explain it include changing climate, social unrest, and a potential foreign attack.
What is the myth of the giant in Malta?
Given some individual stone blocks of the temples are over 5 meters high and weigh over 50 tons, it is easy to understand why people in the past assumed that giants must have built the structure. After all, even today, the mere idea of moving and stacking stones of that size without machines seems inconceivable.
This incredulity gave the Megalithic structure its name. It is based on the old Gozitan belief that giants built the structure and derives from the Maltese word ‘Ġgant’ which means ‘giant’.
In fact, there is even Gozitan folklore around the construction of the “Giant’s Tower”. The tale of “The Woman Who Carried Large Stones for Building” tells the story of a female giant called Sansuna who carried stones on her head while carrying her human baby in her arms.
She is said to have only eaten broad beans and honey and built the temples as a place of worship.
Recent History
After the temples had been abandoned, the purpose of the structures was forgotten. It was not until the 17th century, that the site was first recognized by scholars. Due to this, many British and Northern European Royals, aristocrats, academics, artists, and historians visited the site during their Grand Tour.
It is thanks to them, that we have reports about the state of the archeological site at the time. Many watercolor paintings, including those of Brocktorff, which depict what the Ggantija and the Xagħra Circle used to look like date back to this time.
A Grand Tour was a custom of the 17th to early 19th century that had affluent young men of rank who had just become of age travel through Europe.
In 1827, the temples were excavated and sadly, it led to a rapid deterioration of temples caused by natural causes, such as rain, and people looted the site.
Conservation efforts as we know them today only began in 1933, when the government purchased the land. In 1936 restoration and archeological research began and continued at a large scale until 1945. The Ġgantija temples opened to the public in 1949.
In 1980, they were the first Megalithic temples to be inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list, and in 1992, the listing was expanded to include other Megalithic sites in Malta and Gozo: Ħaġar Qim, Mnajdra, Skorba, Ta’ Ħaġrat and Tarxien. The preservation efforts on all sites are ongoing as the weather impacts the site.
What to Know Ahead of Your Visit
Ġgantija Opening Hours
During the main season from March to October, Ġgantija Archaeological Park is open daily from 10 AM to 6 PM. In the colder months from November to February, it is open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM. The site is closed on January 1, December 24, 25 & 31, as well as Good Friday.
The last admission is 30 minutes before closing, but I recommend arriving no later than two hours before Ġgantija closes.
Ġgantija Entrance Fee
The Ġgantija entrance fee for adults is 10€. Seniors (60+), youths (12-17), and students have to pay 8€ to visit the site, while the entry fee for children (6-11) is 6€.
You can also get the Discover Gozo ticket for 13€, which also includes the entrance to the Cittadella Visitors’ Centre, the Gozo Old Prison, the Gozo Museum of Archaeology, the Gozo Nature Museum, and the Gozo Castello Historic House.
How to Get There
If you are driving to Ġgantija, you can park on-site. However, you can also easily get there by bus. Both bus line 307 from Victoria and line 322 from Mgarr Harbour stop at the nearby Imqades bus stop.
Additionally, you can also get there by hop-on hop-off bus. Ġgantija is one of the stops along the Blue Route and buses arrive in intervals between 11:35 AM and 5:30 PM. You can get your ticket here.
Do you want to visit Ġgantija but are not sure how to get to Gozo? Read this comprehensive guide on how to get to Gozo.
If you are staying in Malta and want to visit the megalithic temples near Xagħra, you can also do it as an organized day trip with a ferry roundtrip and hotel pick-up. Aside from Ġgantija, you will also have the chance to explore Victoria (Rabat), Xlendi and Dwejra Bay.
Ġgantija Interpretation Center
After paying the entrance fee of the Ġgantija Archaeological Park, you will first enter the Ġgantija Interpretation Center. Here, you can see artifacts from Ggantija and other Neolithic sites in Gozo including the Xagħra Circle, and learn a lot about the history of the Neolithic temples. As such, you should take your time and not rush through it.
Some of the most interesting artifacts include a piece of pottery with ‘Northern Lapwing’ bird decoration, two limestone heads found in one room of the South Temple, and decorated blocks that have been removed to protect them including a Great Serpent Carving.
Artifacts found at the Xagħra Circle include a figurine of two people sitting on a sofa, figurines of humans and animals, a (clay) snail, shell necklaces, and pots.
You can also see some stone spheres which were potentially used to transport the gigantic stones of the temples. However, this is only the current assumption and no one really knows if that was their true purpose.
There is a small souvenir shop at the exit of the archaeological site.
Exploring the Temples
Once inside the temples, you notice the stones have two colors. The grey walls are coralline limestone which is hard to work. Due to this, the softer honey-colored globigerina limestone was used to carve decorative elements, altars, and doorways.
Hereby, the carvings are especially impressive, as the people of the Bronze Age managed to carve everything with simple tools made of stone, flint, and bones. Some walls still have decorative elements, but sadly, many have been removed or vanished in the last two centuries.
While ochre pigments have been found, you cannot see that the inner walls were once painted. You will also notice, that the walls are no longer smooth as the rain has severely affected them since the site was dug out.
At the doorways, there are holes in the wall, and nearby, you can see where visitors in the 1700s engraved their names in the stones. A practice that is now vandalism, but that used to be a common act to indicate one had visited an important site.
As part of the conservation efforts, walkways inside the temples were installed in 2011, so they can be visited without getting damaged. Thanks to this, Ġgantija is now an accessible site.
The Xagħra Circle
The Xagħra Circle, another Neolithic site, is located only 300 meters away but is only accessible by appointment. The site consists of grave chambers that were dug into stone and there once was a stone circle around the area.
Sadly, the stone circle of Xagħra was destroyed in the 19th and 20th centuries after Governor Colonel Otto Bayor had the site cleared so it could be used for agriculture in 1820. The blocks were broken down and carried away so they could be used to build other things. By 1840, the site had been turned back into a field.
Thankfully, some parts of the site remained hidden and protected under the soil. Over the course of the following century, the location was forgotten, and it was only in 1965 that J.M. Attard-Tabone, a Gozitan historian, rediscovered it. Prior to its destruction, it was painted by Brochtorff and as such it also became known as Brochtorff Circle.
Scientific archeological excavations were conducted between 1987 and 1989, after which the site was mostly reburied to preserve what remains. Many artifacts found during the excavations can be seen at the Ġgantija Interpretation Center.
Things to Do near Ġgantija
Even if you spend a good while at the exhibition to learn all there is to know about the megalithic temples, you will not need more than 2 hours to visit Ġgantija. Therefore, I recommend exploring what else there is to do in Xagħra.
Ta’ Kola Windmill
The Ta’ Kola Windmill is only a short stroll away from Ġgantija, and visiting it gives you a glimpse of what life in Gozo used to be like before electricity reached the island in the 1960s and how traditional windmills work. Dating back to the 1780s, the Ta’ Kola Windmill was repaired after WWII when steam-driven mills could not be used as there was not enough fuel.
The last miller of Ta’ Kola, Zeppu Kola, died in 1987, and as you tour the windmill, you can see how he used to live on the upper floor. On the lower floor, you can see the tools he used. Additionally, you can also walk up the central staircase to the mill itself.
Visiting it is very educational as you learn a lot about Gozo’s history, and as such, it is a must-see in Xagħra. The entry fee is included in your Ġgantija ticket.
Stroll Through the Streets
Xagħra itself is a very charming town and with its balconies and decorative elements on many houses, it felt like a Gozitan Sliema to me. Therefore, it is certainly worth it to stroll through the streets and enjoy the unique charm of Xagħra.
There are also two small caves that have been discovered while digging under private houses. Both Ninu’s Cave and Xerri’s Grotto are open to the public.
Restaurants
As you walk around, you will find many restaurants, and based on what I have been told, they happen to be among the best seafood restaurants in Gozo. Given that I do not eat fish, I cannot attest to the taste of the food, but especially the restaurants near the Parish Church of Xagħra looked very inviting. So have a look at the menus and grab a bite if something sounds tasty to you!
Ramla Bay
Ramla Bay with its red sand is only a short drive away, and as such, it is the perfect place to relax for a while after spending the morning exploring and learning about the Ġgantija temples. While the popular Calypso’s Cave on the western side of the bay has been closed for a while, you can still take in the view from Tal Mixta Cave on the eastern side of the bay. Please wear proper footwear if you decide to follow the trail up the cliff to the cave.
Is Ġgantija worth visiting?
If you want to learn more about the Neolithic history of Malta, visiting some of Malta’s megalithic structures is a must. Ġgantija on Gozo is the oldest of them and as such, visiting it is a unique experience. While other megalithic temples are in a better state of conservation, it is the transience of this one, that makes you realize how important it is to protect cultural heritage and to learn everything these structures could tell us.
By visiting the interpretation center and then visiting the temples, you will undeniably gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of what it took to build such monumental structures 5,500 years ago. Chances are, you will also be amazed by the statues and ceramic fragments found on-site (or at the Xagħra Circle). Therefore, visiting the Ġgantija temples is 100% worth it if you are even remotely interested in culture and history.
More about Gozo
If you are planning a trip to Gozo, you might also be interested in these Malta travel guides:
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