Archives: Waypoints

Introduction The current church is built on the site of a medieval church dedicated to St Catherine with adjacent chapels dedicated to St James (St Jacob) and St Mark. Later alterations resulted in the demolition of the adjacent chapels, building of a Renaissance doorway, enlarging the footprint of the church and adding the dome. Equidistant…

Introduction Żejtun is made up of several other smaller hamlets and villages such as Hal Bizbut, Hal Tmin, Hal Gwann, Casale Santa Caterina, tal-Barrani and other villages (such as Marsaxlokk, Ghaxaq and parts of Marsascala) which were, since medieval times, known as le terre di Santa Caterina. Although as a parish, it is mentioned in…

Parish Church of St. Mary Although the Church of St Mary (Assumption of St Mary) became a parish in 1626, there is evidence of a church dedicated to St Mary on the same site as early as 1511. Therefore, at the time of the first Universal Peace Walk in 1543 the Church of St Mary…

Introduction The palace dates back to the 17th century and was built by Count Ignatius Francesco Moscati Falsoni Navarra as a country home. In the 18th century it was sold to Pietro Paolo Falzon d’Aurelle and became known as Palais d’Aurel or Dorell Palace. It is also colloqually known as Palazzo Bettina with specific reference…

Introduction This Church of St Mary in Bir Miftuħ was built around 1430 and is one of the parish churches mentioned by Bishop Senatore de Mello in his report of 1436. It served as a parish until 1676 when the then new Gudja Church became the parish church mainly because the new church was in…

Introduction The windmill in the area known as ix-Xarolla is from the time of Grandmaster Antonio Manoel de Vilhena in the early 18th century. It is one of four windmills in the village. The oldest is that built almost 50 years before in Nigret, Żurrieq during the reign of Grandmaster Cottoner. Grandmaster Vilhena rebuilt another…

Introduction The 1436 report of Bishop Senatore de Mello mentions the parish church of Żurrieq.  The church is mentioned again in the report of Inquisitor Pietro Dusina 1575. In 1630 a larger church was constructed. The architect was Fr Matteolo Saliba. It took 25 years to complete the church. The Church Today The church is…

Introduction The old village of Casal Millieri lies between Żurrieq, Qrendi, Mqabba and Kirkop. This village was first documented in 1419 but dates back to the Roman era or before. The name Millieri is derived from Camillieri, meaning camel herders, suggesting that camels may have been bred in Ħal Millieri. Camilleri is a very common…

Introduction The Sanctuary or Shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Mercy is built on the site of an earlier, medieval church which served the village of Hal Lew (then part of Żurrieq but now part of Qrendi). The original church probably dates back to the 13th century but recent restoration works in the church revealed…

Introduction There are two churches of St Matthew on this site. The older, medieval chapel, adjacent to the larger one. The Two Churches The older chapel of St Matthew is not mentioned in the 15th century Rollo of Bishop Senatore De Mello but is mentioned in the report of Bishop Dusina in 1575. The original…