Located in the northwestern coast of Gozo, Marsalforn is the most
popular resort in Gozo. Surrounded by the hilltop villages of Żebbuġ
and Xagħra, together with the Merżuq hill dominated by the iconic Is-
Salvatur statue, Marsalforn can be reached either by car or by public
transport.
The emblem of Marsalforn consists of a viper entwined around a
sword of a blue shield encircled by a golden bordure. The latter is a
symbol of Saint Paul referring to the biblical episode of the viper that
he shook off while he was starting a fire after his shipwreck on the
island in 60 A.D.
The name Marsalforn is composed of two words of Arabic origin.
Marsa refers to a harbour where ships are anchored while Forn refers
to a bakery. There is disagreement among historians about the latter
derivation. Forn might be a corruption of the Arabic word lifurna,
meaning ship or a hollow cave. In fact, several travellers who visited
the location, including Pierre-Marie-Louis de Boisgelin de Kerdu (1758-
1816) describe several important grottos they visited in Marsalforn.
These include the very popular Għar Qawla, now lost to natural
erosion.
The motto of Marsalforn is Tranquillitatis plenissimus meaning
abounding in serenity.
LANDMARKS AND PUBLIC ART
Church of St Paul Shipwreck – St. Paul’s Square
Built on the location where several other churches existed in the past,
Marsalforn’s church dedicated to St Paul’s Shipwreck was built in
1730. Recently restored, it can be visited during opening hours. For
more information about the church kindly access the Żebbuġ Heritage
Trail QR code near the church.
WWII Attack on Marsalforn Bay Memorial – Triq il-Port
On 3rd March 1942 at 3.15 pm two German Messershmitt 110
airplanes attacked a fishing boat four times while it was 4 miles away
from Marsalforn. On board there were three fishermen, Salvu and
Anton Grech and Luigi Vella. The Grechs were seriously injured during
the attack while Luigi got hit in his chest. The fishermen were escorted
back to the bay by some fishermen and were given first aid in the cave
that now houses “Smugglers Cave” Restaurant. Luigi died the day after
at the Gozo Hospital and was buried at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Żebbuġ,
his native village.
In 2019, Gozitan artist Mario Cassar was commissioned by the
Marsalforn Representative Committee, a now defunct committee
within the Żebbuġ Local Council, to design a monument to
commemorate the attack. Carved in local hardstone, Cassar presents
a design that is reminiscent of heavy land artillery. However instead of
a symbol representing destruction, Cassar’s sculpture aims at the
horizon “loaded” with the symbol of the cross, a universal symbol of
both human suffering and redemption. The sculpture is also
reminiscent of a boat and its positioning makes it interact with the
natural, be it winter’s giant waves or the gentle breeze of summer.
The memorial , which was inaugurated by the then Minister for Gozo,
Dr. Justyne Caruana, bears the date of the attack, the name of the
victim and the emblem of the Marsalforn Representative Committee.
The Marsalforn Police Station – Triq il-Menqa
The police station, designed by the great Maltese architect Joseph G.
Huntingford (1926-1994), is a modernist building with simple yet
interesting features. It’s a pity that the original colour scheme of the
building was changed in recent years.
Marsalforn Valley – accessed from Triq il-Wied
A walk along this beautiful valley during the winter period will provide
one with the rare sharp rush and the southern reed-mace that grow
abundantly by the banks of the valley. Fauna associated with fresh
watercourses is also found in this habitat. Here the life cycle of the
painted frog can be studied in full, while the numerous damselflies and
dragonflies engage in courting rituals. The maidenhair is seen in
sheltered areas along the banks. Walking along the valley one can also
admire a large vineyard flanking the lane. Several tree species are also
present along these banks, including the Aleppo pine, evergreen oak,
and rare white poplar.
Marsalforn is also populated by several pieces of public art.
These include:
Austin Camilleri’s project disgħa – Għar Qawqla area
Valerio Schembri’s hardstone sculpture – in front of main bus stop
Katrin Formosa’s ceramic sculpture – Three Hills Garden
Moreover, throughout the centuries, Marsalforn, with its natural
beauty, has inspired several artists and photographers. These include
Edward Lear (1812-1888), the great English artist, illustrator, author
and poet, who visited the bay in March 1866 and produced some
amazing watercolours inspired from the place. Another artist who is
synonymous with Marsalforn is Pawl Carbonaro (1948 – ) who
captured the beauty of Marsalforn several times. Among the
photographers who captured the beauty of Marsalforn are Daniel Cilia,
Ted Attard, Alvin Scicluna and Joseph Zammit.
A HISTORY OF MARSALFORN
Since 1994, Marsalforn has been administered by the Żebbuġ Gozo
Local Council and for some time it also had its Administrative Council.
In spite of this relatively recent administrative responsibility, the
historical link between Marsalforn and Żebbuġ is much older. The
socio-political and economic tie between the two localities culminated
in the late 17th century when a contract signed by Bishop Davide
Cocco Palmieri established the parish of Żebbuġ and included the
western part of Marsalforn within its boundaries. This was rubber-
stamped by the Order of St. John, who ruled Malta between 1530 and
1798, with the donation of several parcels of land around Gozo in
order to set up the parish.
Two main hillocks, now overshadowed by apartment blocks, used to
dominate Marsalforn with their natural beauty. Referred to as Qliel, a
word in Maltese meaning earthenware jars, these hillocks are known
as Il-Qolla s-Safra and Il-Qolla l-Bajda. Both hillocks are located to the
left of Marsalforn, with the latter dominating Xwejni Bay.
The earliest reference to Marsalforn has been recorded in notarial acts
signed in 1487. Marsalforn is also mentioned in the 1592 pastoral visit
by Bishop Tommaso Gargallo. However, Marsalforn has a history which
might date back to Roman times. The various burial places that are
located in the area that stretches from Żebbuġ to Qbajjar – which
actually means a small tomb – and towards the western part of
Dabrani hill are dated to Roman and Punic times.
What is usually referred to as a bay, Marsalforn was somewhat much
more than that. In fact, before the emergence in importance of Mġarr
harbour, Marsalforn was a key harbour on the northern coast of Gozo.
Marsalforn had important links with southern Sicily especially Licata
and other Mediterranean ports. As a harbour, it catered both for
travelling by civilians but also for commercial goods including food.
Writing in the 18th century, Gozitan historian Can. G. P. Agius de
Soldanisrefers to an important cargo of Italian marble intended for the
altars of the Żebbuġ parish church which reached the village after
being unloaded in the nearby coast.
This maritime activity might have encouraged the ruling Order of John
to consider building a new town overlooking the town. The Order’s
military strength relied on a powerful navy while privateering was a
huge source of income for its coffers and therefore, since its arrival in
Malta in 1530, it has earmarked harbour areas for urbanization. This
was the case first of Birgu and then with the new city of Valletta.
Designs for a new fortified town in Marsalforn were done by Giovanni
de` Medici. In 1643, Grandmaster Jean Paul Lascaris Castellar even
visited Gozo to inspect the area. Unfortunately, the plan did not
materialize due to resistance by Gozitans to pay a new tax on locally
grown wheat in order to finance the project and also due to the
inconvenient of moving from Gozo’s capital Rabat to Marsalforn.
During the knights’ period, Marsalforn bay was protected by a series
of coastal fortifications aimed also at defending the north of Gozo from
Ottoman or Barbary attacks. These included a battery with two
cannons next to the church of St. Paul, a triangular redoubt on the
WWII Attack on Marsalforn Bay Memorial site, a transverse wall
spanning the entire beach, an underwater rubble mound wall and St.
Mary battery armed with five cannons, near what is now St. Mary
Street. In addition a solitary reminder of such military architecture is
found in a boathouse on the west side of the bay. This consists of the
remains of a broken fougasse mortar, a man-made hole that used to
be filled with small stones. A fuse lit up the pressed gunpowder
stacked in the bottom of the pit, catapulting a hail of fast-movning
projectiles onto the vessels within range.
MODERN HISTORY
During World War II Marsalforn was attacked several times, including
in March 1942 when the bay was attacked by enemy planes who
especially targeted a fishing boat leaving one casualty.
The current heavy urbanization of Marsalforn started in the 20th
century with the building of hotels and apartment blocks. This was due
to the desire by wealthy Maltese and Gozitan for second homes in the
seaside resort combined with the increasingly large presence of
foreign investors in the local housing market, has fuelled high
demand for property in the town.
The construction of modern apartments and restaurants continued
throughout the 1980s and 1990s and it is still happening in our days.
It is a fact that the economy of Marsalforn, also reflecting the Maltese
economy in general, moved from a traditional fishing industry to a
more complex one dominated by tourism as its main pillar. In this
regard, Marsalforn still strives to keep its identity as a fishing village.
In fact one can still see a lot of fishing activity in the bay. As an
anchorage point for fishermen, the brightly coloured fishermen’s
luzzus have always been present in the harbour especially in the
Menqa area.
It is unfortunate that the massive construction that had started in the
Marsalforn decades ago had a very negative impact on its heritage and
its picturesque nature. Several old houses, many of whom were
Victorian and Georgian summer houses or palazzini were lost in order
to make way for apartment blocks. This development has also left a
long lasting effect on the locality’s demography.
Tourism in Marsalforn
The growth in the twentieth century of tourism in Gozo meant that
several hotels, guesthouses and apartments have been built in
Marsalforn. While tourism highly contributes to the island GDP, it has
left important marks on its character, mostly in seasonal changes.
During the winter months, when tourist numbers are low and second
homes are frequently not used, the town gains a quiet, peaceful feel.
During summer, the town is a busy, vibrant place where both local and
foreign visitors spend their memorable holidays.
SWIMMING
Marsalforn’s clear blue crystalline sea attracts thousands of bathers
and restaurant patrons. Normally, families with young children prefer
the sandy area near Il-Menqa. In turn, youngsters and stronger
swimmers prefer to enjoy dips at Il-Ponta ta’ Santa Marija and Għar
Qawqla. Caution should be taken at these two points which are
intended for deep-sea swimming and should be tackled only by robust
swimmers and avoided altogether in rough weather.
DIVING
Diving is one of the experiences many consider to be on the list of
what to do in Gozo. Marsalforn has become the main diving centre in
Gozo. Several scuba diving schools are to be found in town.
HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS
Marsalforn has a good number of hotels, guesthouses, apartments
and B&Bs which host tourists throughout the year. Many are
conveniently located at most a mere five-minute walk from Marsalforn
beach, and others perch out the slopes with glorious bay vistas and
open sea views. Waking up to the amazing sunrise or witnessing the
fiery sunset from balconies and terraces is a fantastic experience.
Marsalforn is also notorious for its many seaside restaurants, bars,
cafeterias and gelaterias. From fast-food kiosks and family-friendly
restaurants to more refined dining spots, seefood is on most of the
menus. Most of the these restaurants are lined along the bay, in the
area that stretches from Triq il-Port to the Menqa area.
LEISURE
Marsalforn Bay is characterized by its scenic coastline, sandy beaches,
rocky cliffs and surrounding countryside. This is why several visitors
engage in different leisure activities including hikes, trekking and
climbing the nearby hills including the iconic Merżuq hill, crowned by
the concrete statue of Christ the Saviour, inspired by Paul Landowski’s
masterpiece at Rio de Janeiro.
The seaside resort of Marsalforn also has its shops and amenities
including a fairly large parking area located on the eastern end of the
locality, next to the road leading to Xagħra.
Acknowledgement: The historical photos of Marsalforn are being
reproduced by courtesy of Riħ id-Deheb Historical House and Natural
Grotto, Żebbuġ.
Photo Credits: Mario Cassar, Leo Cefai, The Mysteries of Malta, Austin
Camilleri Studio
Research: Mario Cassar
Copyright: Soċjeta’ Banda Santa and Żebbuġ Gozo Local Council
References
Cilia, D., Vella, G., Bezzina, J. (2021). Treasure of Gozo. Malta: Heritage
Malta.
Bezzina J. (1994). Marsalforn: Culture and History. Accessed on
www.zebbuggozo.com
Vella, H.R.C. (2018). Żebbuġ of Gozo – Its People, Inscriptions and
History. Malta: Print It.
