The lower temple
A forecourt, stone benches and curved walls.
Frank Vincentz — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Frank Vincentz — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Frank Vincentz — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Frank Vincentz — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Frank Vincentz — CC BY-SA 3.0
The Mnajdra Temples are a megalithic complex on Malta's southern coast, right above the sea and about 497 m from Ħaġar Qim. Built in the fourth millennium BC, they rank among the most ancient religious sites on Earth, and UNESCO listed them in 1992. They are made of coralline limestone, much harder than the stone of Ħaġar Qim, using pillars, lintels and corbelled courses. The three conjoined but unconnected temples are the upper, the oldest, from the Ġgantija phase (3600-3200 BC), the middle, from the Tarxien phase, with a doorway cut through a single slab, and the lower, possibly the best example of Maltese megalithic architecture. The lower temple appears to have served as an astronomical site: at the equinoxes sunlight passes through the main doorway, and at the solstices it lights the edges of the megaliths beside it. From the visitor centre a long stone path leads down towards the sea to a protective canopy completed in 2009. Beneath it you find a broad forecourt, stone benches, neat rows of pitmarks and curved walls that almost enclose you. From the entrance the view opens to the sea, which goes a long way towards explaining the site's appeal. The site lies about 10.7 km from Valletta in a straight line. Your ticket also covers Ħaġar Qim on the same site, so allow two hours for both. The path is exposed and gently sloping, so bring a hat and water in summer, and treat the stones with respect.
A forecourt, stone benches and curved walls.
Sun passing through the main doorway.
A stone path leading down to the coast.
Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra Archaeological Park, Qrendi, Malta
Yes, both sit in one archaeological park with one ticket, according to Heritage Malta.
To protect the stone from the weather. It was completed in 2009.
