Ggantija Temple - Gozo

This is the most visited cultural attraction in Malta, if the brochure is to be believed.

So I really should have made it my business to get along to this Temple before now, but better late than never.  Anyway, it wasn't going anywhere fast.

For many years it was believed that this massive stone edifice was constructed by giants, hence the name.  You can see why when you get up close and personal to it, as it would have taken quite some time and effort to heft and wedge these huge chunks of rock into place.




Those dreary old archaeologists weren't happy with that romantic notion though, and concluded that the temple was constructed by the rather mysterious peoples who first inhabited the islands about five and a half thousand years ago.  It is the oldest 'free standing' building in the world, which basically means the oldest building which doesn't tunnel into the earth or form part of a hill.  So Stonehenge and the Pyramids are just young pups compared to this edifice.

In the absence of social media, people used chisels to let their friends know where they'd been.
Don't try that now though, stick to pictures with your phone.

I overheard an English tourist at the site who was rather dismissive of what she described as a 'boring bunch of old rocks', so it's not for everybody.  The museum is not bad, although there are lots of explanations stuck on walls in no discernible sequence.  

I wasn't blown away by the place, but glad that I took the time to visit all the same.

Opening Hours:

Monday to Sunday: 09.00 - 17.00hrs

Tickets: 

Adults (18 - 59 years): €9.00, Youths (12 - 17 years), Senior Citizens (60 years & over), and Students: €7.00
Children (6 -11 years): €5.00
Infants (1 -5 years): Free