Ħaġar Qim & Mnajdra Temples
Ħaġar Qim u l-Imnajdra
Megalithic temples older than the Egyptian pyramids and England's Stonehenge, sitting on a southern sea cliff facing the Mediterranean and the islet of Filfla.
The Hagar Qim and Mnajdra temples lie on Malta's south coast and are part of the “Megalithic Temples of Malta” World Heritage Site. They were built around 3600–3200 BC, about a thousand years before the pyramids of Giza. Hagar Qim stands on a ridge and is built from local soft globigerina limestone; its largest slab is about 7 m long and weighs around 20 tonnes. A path leads downhill about 500 m to the seaside Mnajdra temples, whose south temple is carefully oriented so that at the equinox sunrises, sunlight shines directly through the main doorway, while at the solstices light falls on the edges of the stones on either side, which is regarded as a prehistoric solar calendar. Both temples are covered with white protective canopies. The visitor centre has an introductory film and exhibition, and admission is about €10 (covering both temples). About 2 km away at Wied iż-Żurrieq, small boats take visitors to the Blue Grotto, where in the morning sunlight the water inside glows fluorescent blue. Boat trips are suspended in rough weather. The Blue Grotto can be visited in the same half day as the temples.
Opening hours
About 09:00–17:00 (extended to about 18:00 in summer; check Heritage Malta website)
Nearby sights
- Blue Grotto
- Dingli Cliffs
- St. Paul's Catacombs
- Mdina
- Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum
- Tarxien Temples
- Rotunda of Mosta
- Għar Dalam