Ġgantija Temples, Gozo

Heritage Malta and Visit Gozo date the temples to about 3600 to 3200 BC, making them among the earliest of Malta's megalithic temples. The complex consists of two structures with separate entrances, enclosed by a common outer wall; the southern temple is the larger and older of the two and has five large apses. The builders used hard coralline limestone for the main structure and softer globigerina limestone for interior details.

In 1827 the site was cleared of debris on the orders of Lieutenant Governor John Otto Bayer, and much of the archaeological deposit was lost without proper study. Later excavations through the 20th century cleared, conserved and researched the remains. Ġgantija was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1980, and the listing was later extended to include other temples on Malta as the Megalithic Temples of Malta.

Xagħra is a typical Gozitan village centred on a large parish square, with farming still part of daily life on the plateau. The temples are a source of strong local pride and an important part of the island's identity as a place inhabited since prehistory.