Hagar Qim Things to Do

The temple of Hagar Qim was excavated for the first time in 1839 and dates from the Tarxien phase (c.3200-2500 BC). Dwellers were here for some 3,000 years apparently but then strangely disapppeared between 2,500 and 1800 BC. Its amazing to think that these structures were here before the pyramids!

Well this would turn into a temple day tour (later we would visit the Tarxien site) but for now lets head off to the Mnajdra temple complex just a short walk away ...and just a click away here!

The temple is situated on a hilltop ovelooking the sea - just off the coast you can see the little islet of Fifla. Apart from a few original blocks being replaced (such as the lintel over the main doorway I'm standing in) no other restoration has been done and it was interesting to see the site in an otherwise natural state.

It was quite windy the day of our visit so we just enjoyed a short visit before heading to the other temple of Mnajdra which is in a more sheltered position. A short path down hill links the two.

The temple's stone is soft globigenia limestone which is easy to decorate - as seen in this pic. A displaced sill stone shows spirals similar to those seen at the Tarxien Temple. It is said to be the most attractive of all free-standing altars discovered at temple sites. too!

For those (like me) who do like to go and have a closer look at some old stone-buildings Malta is almost the Paradise.
It has several temples on the island (and more on Gozo, the island next to Malta).

As many temples around the world it is not really known how old they are (Stone Age, probably) or how they managed to move these large stones or how they made it that they fit so well in each other.

Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Temples are the best looking and best lokated in my opinion.
They are interesting "window-stones" between the different rooms.

Tarxien is the biggest temple on Malta, unfortunately it is lying between some buildings (which makes an ugly surrounding). But it has the most detailed ornaments. (dated between 2400 - 1800 BC)

Ggantija (dated between 3600 and 3000 BC) on Gozo are the best preserved of all the temples. The Guiness Book recognizes these as the oldes free-standing structures in the world

The Mnjadra temples are a bit further down closer to the sea, you will need to walk 5 or 10 minutes to see them.

2 more images

This is one of the temples in this location, the prehistoric temple that you will see first when entering the place.

Peeping through the rocks here we can see the islet of Fifla that I mentioned in the tip before.