Gozo, Victoria and the Citadella – An Island for Jean Parisot de Valette’s Penance
The second largest of the three main Maltese islands, the mountainous Gozo is a long way away from the capital city of Valletta. Victoria (Rabat), the capital of this Maltese prefecture has a colourful and vivid history. Although often overshadowed by the larger island of Malta, it is well worth the visit. To learn more about Gozo continue reading below
- For more information on the smallest island, that of Comino, check out the link to my article here.
- For more information on “mainland (main island?!)” Malta click here.
Table of Contents
- Geography and Religion
- A Brief History
- Things to do in Gozo!
- Conclusion
Geography and Religion
Gozo is located at the north end of the Maltese island chain, connected to the larger island of Malta via a ferry link. Oval in form, it is a popular diving location, one of the best in the world and is known for its beaches. Although most of the island consists of short hills, the capital of Victoria (Rabat) located at the center of the island occupies a large plain consisting of farmland.
Like its sister island of Malta, Gozo has a strong Roman Catholic tradition and beautiful stone churches can be found throughout the island.
A Brief History
Stone Age and Antiquity
Gozo has a long history beginning with the arrival of farmers from nearby Sicily in 5000 BC, during the Neolithic Era (Late Stone Age). Like on the island of Malta, you will find the rugged terrain dotted by large stone structures. These astonishing megalithic temples are well preserved and of surprising quantity on the Islands.
The stone age would be brought to a halt by the arrival of the Phoenicians, culturally advanced settlers from modern day Lebanon. They established their base at the site of the Citadella in Rabat, the capital of the island and at Mdina in Malta. Gozo was well known to the ancient Greeks and Homer described the island as Ogygia, home of the nymph Calypso. The successor to the Phoenician city states, Carthage, established a temple here but the island was annexed by Rome sometime around 218 BC and was briefly part of the Byzantine Empire.
Medieval Era and the Knights of St. John
During the medieval era the Maltese islands were under constant threat by way of Turkish raids. The pirates would loot and take slaves, severely reducing the population of the islands. During one devastating raid in 1551, the Ottomans put over 5000 of the islands citizenry on slave ships to be sold like cattle. The island was left virtually uninhabited and had to be repopulated with settlers from Malta under the supervision of the Knights of St. John.
France, Britain and the Modern Malta
After a trick invasion of the Maltese islands by the french, Gozo rose in revolt. From 1798-1800 it was its own independent state before reforming with Malta. This union was protected by the British. The Maltese never surrendered sovereignty to them but allowed them to govern the islands as protectors until the end of the Second Word War.
During the modern history of Malta Gozo has struggled to gain adequate funding and recognition by the central government. Infrastructure investment is needed.
Things to do in Gozo!
For such a small island there is much to do! Buses will take you around the island but they are often crowded and unreliable. Luckily much of the island is within a reasonable walking distance, but many paths are unmarked. The roads outside the port and the capital of Rabat are less busy and can be walked on without too much trouble from motorists.
Mgarr and the Gozo Harbor
I took the ferry into Gozo from Ċirkewwa on the northern tip of Malta, part of a long winding peninsula with a ferry terminal at its end. What awaited me on the Gozan side was a pleasant surprise. The modern port blends seamlessly with the old town, its massive church and fortress looming above. Like on the Maltese side a connection to Comino is available. Mgarr is considered the largest fishing village on Gozo and an essential transit point to get to anywhere on the island. A bus to Victoria is offered from the port but before you go make sure to check out both Fort Chambray (inaccessible and can only view from far) and the Ghajnsielem Parish Church. The church is of an unusual shape (for Malta that is).
The fort itself is a relic of plans for the islands defense that never fully materialized. It was originally constructed in the 18th century by the Knights of St. John as part of a plan to reinforce the sea link with Malta and the Citadella. These ambitious plans were designed culminate in a new settlement to replace Victoria as the capital of Gozo. A rectangular grid street pattern was built inside the walls of the fort but as the Ottoman threat receded Gozans did not buy plots inside the fort and continued to live in rural areas with their cattle. It was then used as a prison and later as a mental asylum. It saw action in the French invasion and was host to British Barrack, the stone balconied structure being the prettiest of the failed fort city’s buildings. In the 20th century many redevelopment schemes fell by the wayside. While in Mgarr, I learned that the ruins are now closed to the public as new units for luxury accommodation were unfortunately installed, with the new owners barring access to the public. It is sad to see it become inaccessible to the public even if it is being restored.
You will be able to find a small bar by the port. This is a great place to chill and grab a pint while waiting for your ferry ride!
Victoria (Rabat)
Ive always maintained that Malta’s cities outside of Valletta look almost North African in appearance and that their catholic stone churches look more Sicilian then anything. A strange mix of Afro-European fitting of an island chain located between both. Nowhere is this more true than Gozo. Originally called Ħaġar, it has had a tumultuous history.
St. George’s Basilica and the Old Town
Victoria, formerly named Rabat, is the name of Gozo’s capital. Something that had confused me at first as I had seen it spelled both ways. The name was given by the British in 1887, on the date of Victoria’s diamond jubilee, on request of the Bishop of Gozo, however many of the old generation still refer to the town as Rabat, a confusing predicament since a town near the old Capital of the island of Malta, Mdina, is called Rabat.
The city center of the Gozan capital is composed of a narrow maze of streets clustered around the church of St. George, with its distinctive red roofed church. It is located at the feet of the Citadella, the old fortress guarding the city.
The church has roots dating back to Byzantine times when it was itself constructed over the ruins of a Roman Temple. It also has the distinction of being the last church of the island to use Byzantine rites before a conversion to Latin ones in 1575. The church was rebuilt several times, notably by a returning bishop enslaved by the Ottomans in Constantinople (He managed to buy his freedom and rebuild his parish). The present structure dates from the 17th century and was constructed by the Knights of Malta.
Outside the buildings you will find a large public square with many outdoor terraces. This is the best public space on the island. You will find the Museum of Gozo nearby. The old town is quite small and you will want to proceed to the Citadella shortly.
La Citadella
This massive fortress complex is the beating heart of Gozo. It is the area first occupied during the stone age and continues to remain important despite its position inland, away from commercial trade. Although this may seem like a disadvantage, it was not so for the fearful people of Gozo. Being located by the island’s shore meant dealing with the frequent Turkish raids and the further you were inland, the longer you had to hide in the capital. Today a massive staircase and a clock-tower will greet you entering into the complex. You will find a small museum explaining the history of the site off to the side before you enter the massive bastion walls. This entrance can be found to the south facing the town of Victoria.
Once you enter the bastion walls you will be faced with a stunning piece of religious military architecture, the Cathedral of the Assumption. This building is even more stunning on the inside. If you choose to visit the museum inside you will have the chance to see stunning “trompe d’oeil” painted ceilings. The citadel is composed of narrow streets where you can visit several museums. You can buy a pass that gives you access to all four or just pick and choose the ones that interest you. These include:
- The Archeological Museum (in the south east corner, inside the walls)
- The Folklore Museum (just to the west of the cathedral)
- The Old Prison of Gozo
- And of course the Cathedral.
Please note. As previously mentioned there is a museum outside of the walls, it is not part of these four
If you are to choose just one of the museums make it the Old Prison. I love the history of the Knight of Malta and this will give you a chance to see where Jean Parisot de Valette, veteran of the great siege of Rhodes and future grandmaster and founder Valleta, spent time in a cell as a prisoner. He was punished by the knights in 1538 for a fight that he found himself in. His organization put wayward knights in the jail cells to cool down, punish them and have them reflect on their infractions after incidents such as this one. Inside the cells you will find some ancient graffiti and the guide at the door can tell you about the place. It is usually not very busy and off the main path so take advantage and ask questions.
Finally, you must walk along the citadel walls. Below you will see the ruins of many residential structures. Citadels, due to their residential nature, were not just castles but towns used as a refuge against raids. Hence this settlement would have had a significant civilian population. The citadel you see today is mostly the work of Jean Parisot De Valette. It sits on the old Roman acropolis, abandoned during medieval times and replaced with a small castle in 1241. This castle was sacked by Genoa shortly after its construction. During this time most of the islands population lived within the confines of the castle and had to spend the nights within its walls by law. Eventually the population of the Citadella grew so large that the suburb of Rabat grew over the old Roman town. The city was ruled by the Spanish kingdom of Aragon at this time.
Emperor Charles V of Spain ceded Malta and Gozo to the Knights Hospitalier in 1530. During this period, the Order of St. John resisted many Ottoman sieges and raids by Barbary Corsairs, the famed Muslim pirates looking for slaves. Yet despite their success, the fortifications were outdated. In 1551 the city fell and the terrified population huddled within its walls was enslaved. The castle was left in ruins for some time before the island could be repopulated. During the great Siege of Malta in 1565, Gozo was not attacked but the citadel served as an important communication center between Malta and the outside (christian) world. After the battled Valette visited the site and ordered it modernized, this would not happen until 1599, when the new capital of Valetta on the island of Malta was completed. The Citadella was taken by the French in 1798 but has not seen military action since the Second World War when it was turned into an air raid shelter. Walking the walls today it will be easy to see how imposing this structure was, until the construction of Fort Chambray in Mgarr this was the only defensive structure of note on the island.
Aqueduct of Gozo
Not far outside the city limits, on the road north west of the city, you will find the ruins of an ancient aqueduct. Don’t be fooled it is not Roman but British and dates from the 19th century.
Visit the Many Churches Outside of Rabat
As mentioned earlier Malta is a staunchly Roman Catholic country. Gozo is no exception to this rule. If you were impressed by the Mgarr church, prepared to be blown away by some of these other structures.
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta’ Pinu
From the top of the Citadella in Rabat, you will see a massive dome in the distance. This is the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta’ Pinu. It is a national shrine of Malta and a minor basilica of the catholic faith. Legend has it that after a papal visit it was ordered destroyed due to its poor condition. An artisan began the work and swinging his tool, he broke his arm. This was seen as a sign and the church was instead renovated and expanded. The church is connected to many “miracles” associated with the Gozan peasantry. Again run down it was rebuilt in 1932 in neo-renaissance, an Italianate style making it rather unique on the island.
Rotunda of Xewkija (Church of St. John the Baptist)
This church is important for a different reason than most, it is pretty, yes that is true, its narrow fram rising above the huddled buildings and its dome piercing the sky. But the 17th century building is renowned for fact that it is the religious seat of Knights of Malta on the island.
Xaghra Parish Church
One of the many churches I saw on my bus ride into the capital the village of Xaghra should be visited as the village is quite quaint and fun to walk around. Surrounding the church you will find a windmill, a cave and the neolithic ruins of Ġgantija.
Azure Window and Inland Sea
For fans of the HBO series Game of Thrones, you will be thrilled to know that Gozo held a filming location for the television series. Unfortunately for those same fans, nature has irreparably damaged that same beauty that had attracted the eye of the show’s producers. This site is the Azure Window, a stunning maritime arch that the sea has now reclaimed as its own. Luckily, the arch is not all there is to do in that region. Located near the village of San Lawrenz you will find many attractions aside from the collapsed arch. To the south you will find the Dwejra Tower, dating from 1652. Just beside the old window, on the Dwejra bay you will find the equally stunning Blue Hole. This popular swimming spot and cave really showcases the rugged landscape of the island.
Inland from the Azure Window you will find the inland sea, again another popular swimming spot and cave but this time located as part of an inland lagoon instead of on the sea itself.
Salt Pans
If you visit the northern part of the island make sure to stop off at the salt pans. The traditional method of harvesting the seawater for salt, this is one of the more understated things to do.
Neolithic temples
As mentioned previously, the island is known for its stone age temples. The most impressive of these, Ġgantija (Giantess) is a UNESCO site. Older than the pyramids, this ancient “pile of stones” is not something you will see in many other European destination. Although not large in circumference the quality and preservation of the structure surprised me. Like all Maltese temples it faces south-east and is composed of stacked stone. If you enjoyed Ġgantija, then you have to check out the Xagħra Stone Circle. This funerary complex dates from 3000 BC and is built into underground caves. It was shut in 2000 BC after those caves collapsed. It was excavated in 1820 and reburied and forgotten about until the late 20th century.
Conclusion
From the time the ferry crossed over from Malta to Gozo, I was hooked. Weather you like pretty churches, impregnable castle or stunning natural formations, Gozo has you covered. Although difficult to navigate, the island hold a surprising number of attractions for those willing to seek adventure.
