Mnajdra and Ħaġar Qim Temples

Mnajdra and Ħaġar Qim Temples are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, can be said to be the most popular of the temples in Malta. It is built on a hilltop near Qrendi, which is a small village on the Southern coast of Malta. On the other side of the hill, lie the temples of Mnajdra, which are equally impressive. A popular theory suggests that the village of Qrendi, originally known as Krendi, obtained its name from the large megaliths of Ħaġar Qim.

The Mnajdra and Ħaġar Qim Temples were built between 3600 and 3200 BC but are still very well preserved. They are a beautiful masterpiece of prehistoric masonry. The main Ħaġar Qim structure is made up of 5 rooms or apses with a corridor down the middle. This layout and other artefacts such as small clay figurines found on site, indicate that the structures were most probably shrines erected in honour of mother earth and the fertility cycles. During sunrise on the Summer Solstice, the rays of sun penetrate the temple through a hole and illuminate a particular stone slab. This is yet another reference to the fertility theory.

The temple builders used hard coralline limestone to erect the external walls and softer globigerina limestone for the interiors. The softer stone was also carved with intricate decorations, some of which are still very visible. One of the megaliths is estimated to weigh close to 20 tonnes. It is still not known with certainty what techniques were used by the builders to transport such large objects. Several sphere-shaped stones found at different temple sites suggest that the temple builders may have used these spheres to transport the huge megaliths in place.

Apart from the main temple, archaeologists have also discovered the remains of two more structures, thought to be even older.
Two of the most popular artefacts found here are a slab with a pair of opposing spirals in relief and a three-foot high stone pillar decorated on all four sides. Replicas can be seen on site while the originals may be viewed at the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta.

The Mnajdra Temple complex is located in Qrendi, in Southern Malta, close to the sea in a little valley close to where the temple of Hagar Qim stands. In fact, the proximity of the two temple sites makes for a very convenient combined visit.

The Mnajdra Temples, which are also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, date back from around 3600-2500BC. They are surrounded by rocky countryside and wide views of the open-sea, while the small islet of Filfla is visible, almost on the horizon.
The temple complex consists of three structures from different prehistoric periods, with the oldest one possibly being over 5500 years old. These are known as the East Temple (the oldest), the South Temple and the Central Temple.

The South Temple at Mnajdra is the most famous of the three. It is aligned with the four seasons, As the sun rises above the Ħaġar Qim hill, on each first day of the seasons, a ray of sun enters the main door and hits one of two large slabs on the inside of the temple. Special events are in fact organised for the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes and the Summer and Winter Solstices by Heritage Malta.

The central Temple, which is also the youngest of the three, is built on an artificially raised platform and has two main doorways. One may also see an exquisite example of prehistoric graffiti: an engraving of a temple facade on a large upright stone within the temple.

The Mnajdra and Ħaġar Qim Temples are a worth while attraction to visit and are easily reached by public bus from Valletta or by driving towards Żurrieq. The entrance ticket fee covers a visit to both sites and to the adjacent Visitor Centre.