Spiral carvings
Stone slabs with fine decoration.
Kritzolina — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Frank Vincentz — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Frank Vincentz — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Frank Vincentz — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kritzolina — CC BY-SA 4.0
The Tarxien Temples are a prehistoric complex in the town of Tarxien, minutes from the Grand Harbour. Dating to about 3400 BC and listed by UNESCO in 1992 among the Megalithic Temples of Malta, they hold some of the richest decoration of the Maltese Neolithic. The story starts in 1913, when the farmer Lorenzo Despott complained of huge stone blocks catching his plough and contacted Themistocles Zammit, director of the National Museum. Zammit ran formal excavations from 1915 to 1919 with help from local farmers and townspeople, identifying four prehistoric structures and finding a colossal statue, the largest human figure known from the Neolithic. The four structures sit beneath a modern white canopy, reached by a raised walkway. The first holds the finest decoration, though its main entrance is a 1956 reconstruction, while the central one is unusual for its six chambers. You will see spiral carvings on stone slabs, animals carved in relief, the lower part of the colossal statue and round stone spheres. Many of the original slabs were moved to the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta for protection. The complex lies about 3.3 km from Valletta in a straight line, amid a residential area you might not expect around a site this old. The walkway is easy and the visit short, so pair it with the nearby Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum if you have booked ahead. Do not touch the stones or leave the path.
Stone slabs with fine decoration.
Round stones near the walls.
A full view of the four structures.
Neolithic Temples Street, Ħal Tarxien, Malta
Many originals are in the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta, with copies of some on site.
About 45 minutes to an hour and a half, as the route is short and easy.
