The Cultural Highlight of Gozo

After a day of beach-hopping around Gozo, I was excited to explore its cultural side. For whatever reason, I prefer spending a sunny day at historic sites rather than on the beach. I did not know too much about Gozo. As the little sister of Malta Island, Gozo often seems neglected. Malta Island, being the headquarters of Knights Hospitaller, is known to be the center of all the military actions that made Malta famous. Fair or not, Gozo seems to have played second fiddle to Malta throughout history. With less than one-tenth of the republic's population, Gozo will unlikely garner much political power anytime soon.

Our first introduction to Gozo was our hotel host, Doreen, at ViewPoint Boutique Living. This woman is such an energizer bunny and probably the hardest-working hospitality person I have ever met. When I asked her about the cultural difference between the two islands, she quickly pointed out that Gozitans are treated as second-class citizens by the Maltese establishment, and it is through honesty and hard work that they could stand on equal footing with their fellow citizens on Malta. Even though our time on Gozo is limited to 48 hours, Doreen’s assessment of Gozitans is quite accurate. As a traveler, I can attest that the services at Gozo are far superior to those in Malta.

At first glance, towns and villages in Gozo look no different from those in Malta. Each village is crowned with a massive parish church with an open plaza in front of it. Architectural features such as Gallarija or Maltese door knockers are also commonplace here. And just like in Malta, local village parishes celebrate their local patron saints with individual week-long festas. I spent some time researching specific cultural differences between the islands; I find it quite surprising how scant the online information there is. Among the few cultural traditions that make Gozo famous are its springtime carnival festivals, which we certainly miss out on in September. Instead, we settled on visiting some of Gozo’s most important historical landmarks. Here are just some of the great historic sites that tell the history of Gozo:

Ġgantija Temple

The Republic of Malta is particularly known for its neolithic temple culture. Because of the absence of the written system, very little is known about their culture. Almost everything we know about them today came from a few dozen temple ruins, pottery fragments, and statues uncovered inside the temple. Six of Malta’s megalithic temples are inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites under the collective name “Megalithic Temples of Malta,” just one of them is located on the island of Gozo. Ġgantija is particularly noteworthy for its age. Dated to 3,500 B.C.E., Ġgantija was considered the oldest man-made structure not just in Malta but also in existence on Earth until recently. That title now belongs to Göbekli Tepe in modern-day Turkey.

Ġgantija, meaning the Temple of Giants in Maltese, was a significant symbol in Gozo’s folklore traditions. According to local belief, the temple was constructed by a race of giants that once inhabited this land. Legend has it that the giants’ diet comprised local honey and broad beans. Ġgantija is said to be constructed single-handedly by a female giant who had her child swinging from one of her shoulders. In a way, such a legend is totally understandable and even believable. Many of the temple’s stone slabs are sixteen meters tall and weigh over five tons. Archaeologists figured out that stone ball bearings transported these massive slabs. But we still don’t know how the Neolithic people erected them in place without the assistance of modern machinery.

Even though Ġgantija is located in a residential neighborhood, the temple ruin is in the middle of an extensive landscaped park. The museum has a state-of-the-art modern museum, perhaps one of Malta's best dedicated to megalithic temples. In addition to the artifacts, the exhibits document the impacts Ġgantija has on modern societies. I did not know that these temples of Malta were popular stops of the European grand tour back in the day. Among the famous past visitors to Ġgantija was Swiss architect Le Corbusier. He made a pilgrimage to Gozo to refine his understanding of the origin of architecture. Some even cite the spiritual connection between Ġgantija and the Ronchamp.

We visited many other megalithic temples on the island of Malta during the earlier days of this trip. So, we were quite aware of what to expect regarding the anatomy of these temples. But compared to other megalithic temples like Tarxien, Ħaġar Qim, and Mnajdra, the ruin of Ġgantija remains open to the weather. Given this is the most famous of all the temples in Malta, the decision not to shelter seems puzzling. On the other hand, it does offer awesome photo great opportunities. As much as the shelter would be good for the preservation, there is no denying that it takes away the temple’s pre-historic ambiance.

The alter at one of the inner apses of Ġgantija Temple.

In the fertility rites of the Neolithic age, sunlight played a major role in the rituals. The orientation of Ġgantija is calibrated to align with the solstice and equinox. From the temple's front entrance is a beautiful vista toward the surrounding landscape. I am certain the Neolithic builders picked this spot for its unrivaled beauty and the celestial alignment. The beautifully landscaped and the massive parish churches across the landscape are undoubtedly spectacular. I can’t help wondering how different the landscape may have been 5,500 years ago.

Ta’ Kola Windmill

The visit to Ġgantija is typically accompanied by a tour of the nearby Ta’ Kola Windmill. It is only a block from the entrance to the Ġgantija. Originally built in 1725 and rebuilt in 1780, this historical windmill has been meticulously restored as a historical museum in 1992. This is just one of the few windmills that have survived since the Knight Hospitalier. When I thought of a windmill, Amsterdam and Santorini came to mind. Never in a million years would I think of Malta. However, it makes sense since Malta has plenty of windpower but no running river. This historic windmill consists of a series of rooms on two levels organized on a rectangular plan. The layout is typical of the miller’s house of the period and provides an intimate look into the life of a Maltese miller.

The ground floor of the windmill includes a kitchen, bedrooms, and dining room. The last owners made many tools on display inside the mill. The exhibit inside the windmill would be informative for those not in a hurry. Typically, most Maltese museums had no air conditioning, and the rooms were stifling hot. I would have loved to spend more time going through the display, but it was just too physically exhausting. Luckily, the admission is covered by our Heritage Malta multi-site pass, so we didn’t feel bad about blowing through the museum.

Of course, the pièce de résistance is to hike up the circular tower to look at the original circular grinding stones and winch. They were in surprisingly good shape for being original. The top of the windmill has a couple of little portholes with beautiful views of the surrounding countryside. In favorable weather, the miller would announce the mill is operational by blowing through a triton shell. Conversely, the windmill's sails would be taken down when the wind gust made milling dangerous.

Cittadella - The Pride of Gozo

No other place holds as much significance as Cittadella among all the cultural sites on the island. Located in the geographic center of Gozo, this fortress has been inhabited since the Bronze Age. Given that this is one of the highest points on Gozo, it was only natural that the Romans picked this location as their settlement (Glauconis Civitas). During the medieval time, Gozo was subjected to frequent raids by pirates. Until 1637, residents of Gozo were obligated by law to seek safety inside Cittadella every night. To call this the heart of Gozo is a serious understatement. Being a fortress city, Cittadella is reminiscent of Mdina on the island of Malta, albeit on a much different scale.

The newly renovated Cittadella includes an accessible ramp for wheelchair users.

At the heart of Cittadella is the Cathedral of Assumption. Built on the site of a former Roman temple, the church is now the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gozo. The steep steps leading up to the church made it one of Gozo's most dramatically situated churches. The stately Baroque facade is said to be modeled after Rome’s Church of the Gesù, the mother church of the Jesuit Order. The €3 admission fee was well worth it. Like most Maltese churches, the interior is decorated with mosaic and drapery. The true highlight for me has to be the false dome above the altar. Instead of a full dome, the cleverly painted mural gave viewers an illusion of a dome. Known as Trompe-l’œil ("deceive the eye” in French). This architectural technique illustrates the highly developed understanding of perspective. The most famous example would be the Church of St Ignatius of Loyola, which has always had a special place in my heart.

The cathedral also paid special tribute to Pope Pius IX, who is particularly beloved here in Gozo. For 66 years, Gozitans submitted the request to the Vatican to establish their own diocese, separating it from that of Malta. On September 16th, 1864, Pope Pius IX granted their wishes and made Michele-Francesco Buttigieg the first bishop of Gozo. The Diocese of Gozo is not only separate but is considered an “exempt” diocese, which is directly under the supervision of the Holy See without any intermediate supervision from the archbishop of the Maltese islands. I would say Gozitans have an inferiority complex against their Maltese cousins. They still celebrate September 16th as the “Day of Thanksgiving”. In front of the cathedral stand bronze statues of Pope Pois IX and Pope John Paul II. The latter pontiff made a “famous" roundtrip voyage from Valletta to Gozo via Saint Paul’s Island.

Trompe-l’œil of the false dome at the Cathedral of Assumption. — *Trompe-l’œil* of the false dome at the Cathedral of Assumption.

Many of the most significant artifacts in the diocese’s possession are on display at the nearby Cathedral Museum. From the regalia of Pope Pius IX to the personal carriage of the bishop, the collection is wide-ranging and has plenty of novelty objects that may interest non-Christians like myself. But I was particularly interested in items associated with Michele-Francesco Buttigieg. As a bit of a political nerd, I am keenly aware that Gozo is the ancestral home of Pete Buttigieg, the incumbent U.S. Secretary of Transportation and one-time presidential candidate. Buttigieg is the most common last name in a couple of villages in Gozo. In the village of Qala, one out of four residents has the last name Buttigieg, and it is the hometown of Anton Buttigieg, the second president of the Republic of Malta (1976-81).

Just north of the Cathedral Museum are the remnants of many medieval houses. Ever since Cittadella lost its strategic importance at the end of the 19th century, the population living within its wall dwindled. Over the decades, many residential buildings were deserted, leaving Cittadella in a state of abandonment, except for its cathedral. However, everything changed after extensive renovations in 2008 and 2016. The end result is so both visually stunning and spiritually disappointing. One on hand, the conservation team faithfully restored many of the dilapidated buildings. But I couldn’t help getting the sense that this historic fortress has become somewhat of a picture-perfect movie set. From the glass elevators to the manicured ruined garden, everything looks too pristine and sanitized.

Cathedral of Assumption and the surrounding medieval ruins.

Cittadella may be small, but there are a surprisingly large number of historical and cultural sites to keep one busy the whole morning. Besides the basilica and basilica museum, all the other museums are again included in the Heritage Malt multi-site pass. They include the Old Prison, Gran Castello Historic House, Gozo Museum of Archaeology, and the Cittadella Visitor Center. I was particularly fond of the Old Prison, a favorite prison for the Knight Hospitaler to imprison the unrolling members of their own rank. Famously, Jean Parisot de Valette, who later founded Valletta, was imprisoned here before being elected the order's Grandmaster 18 years later. On the limestone walls of the prison, we could still witness many graffiti, many with the motif of boats, crosses, and swords. Remarkably, many of them dated from the time of the Knight Hospitaler, and it is possible that one could be a work of de Valette himself.

According to our hotel host, Doreen, the brand-new Citadella Visitors' Center will not be missed. Located just outside the main gate, the visitor center is cleverly concealed underground and a state-of-the-art museum. Ironically, the part of the museum that made the biggest impression on Brian and me was its kick-ass air conditioning. This appeared to be one of the few museums in Malta with a cooling system, and we were grateful for it. The visitor center provided a general overview of Citadella’s history and geography. But the supposed “highlight” of the visit was the five-minute multimedia presentation tracing the fortress's history. Unlike many other fortresses worldwide, Citadella is battle-worn and has survived several demolition attempts by various overlords.

The view of Victoria from the entrance of Citadella.

The most notable event Citadella experienced was the 1551 Invasion of Gozo by the Ottoman Turks. Led by commander Sinan Pasha, the Ottoman troops stormed Gozo after an unsuccessful attempt to capture Birgu, the headquarters of the Knights Hospitaller. After a week of defense, the citadel capitulated in the hope of a favorable term of surrender. Little did they know a slaughter ensued. According to a popular legend, knight Bernardo Dupuo murdered his own wife and children to spare them the impending slaughter or subsequent slavery. Personally, I think that was not an excuse for killing your own family, no matter what the intention was. I could only imagine the fear of the impending doom experienced by the defending knights and Maltese.

The memorial to the 1551 Invasion of Gozo.

In the end, nearly six thousand Gozitans were taken into slavery and sold in a slave market in what is modern Lybia. The Ottoman spared only a monk and a few elderly. About three hundred Gozitans escaped to the Ottoman by sliding down the fortification amid chaos. While a few enslaved Gozitans redeemed their freedom in their lifetime, most never returned to their homeland. Following the invasion, Gozo’s population was decimated. Despite the resettlement efforts encouraged by the Knights Hospitaller, it took over 150 years for Gozo’s population to recover to its pre-1550 level. Interestingly, the experience of Gozitans sounds remarkably similar to Turkish raids of the Westman Islands.

Fortunately, the fortified wall of Citadella welcomed only the invading tourists. Today’s Citadella is a marvelous collection of ruins, museums, eateries, and shops. As fine as some museums are, the highlight of the visit has to be the panoramic views from the top of the ramparts. A passageway runs along the entire length of the walls, and the vistas are stunning. Fortunately, Citadella has been placed on the tentative list for the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Otherwise, I could see some hotel chain put up a five-star hotel inside the fortress.

The Miracle of Ta' Pinu

Of all the cultural sites on Gozo, I would say that the most intriguing is that of the Blessed Virgin of Ta' Pinu. I first read about Ta' Pinu’s tales after visiting the shrine at Fatima, Portugal. Being irreligious, I am quite fond of learning about tales of modern miracles. Our experience at Fatima generated more questions than answers. With the advent of technology, the frequency of reported religious aberration has become increasingly rare. Any tale of modern miracles always piques my interest. The miracle of Ta’ Pinu is no exception.

Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Of Ta' Pinu.

The legend centered around a local peasant woman, Karmni Grima. On the 22nd of June in 1884, she passed in front of a small chapel and heard a voice calling her: "Come, ... come today. For a whole year, you will not be able to return". Though terrified, Grimma obeyed and entered the chapel. Inside was a painting of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The voice resumed with a phrase: “Recite three Hail Marys in honor of the three days that I stayed within the tomb." Terrified and obedient, Grima obliged but fell into sickness. She ended up not being able to return for a year. She shared her experience with her local priest and neighbor, Francesco Portelli. Portelli recounted having identical experiences, and his mother was healed miraculously by the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. After a short investigation, the local priest concluded that the voices and miraculous healing they experienced were heavenly interventions.

Not long after the miracle, tales of Ta’ Pinu spread across the Maltese islands. Ta’ Pinu quickly became the most popular place of pilgrimage on the Maltese Islands. The devotion to the Blessed Virgin of Ta’ Pinu was further enhanced by the famous healer Frenċ tal-Għarb. In 1922, the original chapel was so dilapidated that it prompted the local bishop to construct a new church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. The basilica took only ten years to complete and is officially considered the national shrine of Maltese. Architecturally, the church is highly unusual for Maltese because of its neo-Romanesque style. But the most striking aspect of the basilica is its physical setting. Since almost every major church in Malta is located in a village or two, it is unusual to see a major church in the middle of the idyllic countryside.

The labyrinth in front of the Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Of Ta' Pinu.

In the middle of the plaza are statues of Karmni Grima and Frenċ tal-Għarb. It is ornamented with four large walls of mosaic. Completed in 2017 at 1 million euros, the mosaic tells the story of the miracles and the twenty stages of rosaries. The contemporary mosaic is a source of pride and joy for the local community; Doreen considers it a highlight of Gozo. The church interior is quite stark by Maltese standards and has a tinge of protestant feel. Right to the left of the main doors is a montage of photos from the papal visits by Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. Since Pope Francis is due to visit Malta in November this year, I am interested in seeing whether he would visit Ta’ Pinu.

The room was filled with Ex-Vito. — The room was filled with *Ex-Vito*.

The most interesting sight at Ta’ Pinu is not the painting that inspired the miracle. Instead, the highlight is a room on the right of the nave. The room is filled wall to ceiling with various votive offerings (ex-voto) from the faithful. It was interesting to see what kind of wishes that people were seeking. Successful childbirth and surviving injuries seemed to be the most common requests. In addition to baby clothes, there are quite a few numbers of bicycle helmets and body casts. I do wonder whether the priest did some editing in deciding which ones to put up. There is no doubt that they were running out of room.

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Ġgantija Temple

Ta’ Kola Windmill

Cittadella - The Pride of Gozo

The Miracle of Ta' Pinu

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