Żurrieq

Żurrieq is i of the oldest towns inwards Malta, as well as has a population of 12,000 inhabitants (Jul 2010). Żurrieq is situated inwards the South West of Malta. The commencement documentation nearly it beingness a parish dates dorsum to 1436 dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria. The isle of Filfla is administratively a constituent of the town. The town strecthes from In Nigret to Hal far respectively inwards old times the town was a edge amongst Zejtun. There were minor villages constituent of Zurrieq including Qrendi, Birzebbuga, Hal Millieri, Hal Lew, Hal Manin, Bubaqra, Tal Baqqari, Hal Far, Hlantun, Hal Niklusi, Has Sejjih, Hal Qadim, Hal Arrig, Hal Gawhar, Hal Ghabdirzaq.

 Blue Grotto.

Żurrieq is constituent of the Fifth political District as well as votes for the local council every 3 years. The council is made upward of ix members, i of them is the Mayor of the town. The acquaint Mayor of Żurrieq is Silvio Izzi Savona. The parish Arch-priest beingness Rev. Charles Attard, helped past times Rev. Raymond Cassar, Rev. Glenn Buhagiar, Rev. Carmel Busuttil as well as Rev. Nazzareno Tonna as well as Decon Luke Seguna.

Wardija Tower.

History

The Village of Zurrieq claims for a large expanse of the South Eastern constituent of the Island of Malta, inwards which hamlet nosotros uncovering a broad collection going dorsum to the Bronze as well as Punic times, through the Roman, Knights as well as British eras. The hamlet inwards itself is to a large extent adorned amongst houses as well as buildings of historical value dating to the 15th as well as 16th centuries.

 Xarolla Windmill.

We uncovering the commencement historical reference of this hamlet dorsum inwards 1400. The villages of Hal Lew, Hal Millieri, Hal Manin, Bubaqra, Hal Far, Nigret as well as Qrendi used to brand constituent of the hamlet itself, until inwards 1618 the hamlet of Qrendi became a hamlet of its ain spell the others dissolved inwards a natural agency amongst their expanse forthwith making an integral constituent of the hamlet perimeter.

Numerous ruins as well as remaining structures quest the current of the hamlet through the time. These quest the diverse settlements of peoples that inhabited the hamlet area, from the Phoenicians to the Carathaginians, Greeks to the Romans. The remains institute quest these peoples equally ancestors to the village, yet without excluding the possibility of other peoples, this hamlet is rich inwards ruins as well as remains which inwards time to come may shed novel lite on its ancestors. Proof of this may hold upward seen namely inwards remains such equally the Punic Tower, Xarolla Catacombs, Cart Ruts at 'Tal-Bakkari', 'Tal-Hlantun Tower' as well as many others

Ruins

Żurrieq is situated 6.8 km inwards a straight describe of piece of work from the City of Valletta, as well as features a broad collection of ruins as well as remains dating dorsum to the Bronze as well as Punic times, through the Roman, Knights as well as British eras. Structures dating dorsum to the 15th as well as 16th century are scattered throughout the village.

The ruins get got characteristics which position the diverse settlements of peoples that inhabited the hamlet expanse — from the Phoenicians to the Carthaginians, Greeks to the Romans. Examples of such remains include the Punic Tower, Xarolla Catacombs, Cart Ruts at Tal-Bakkari, as well as Tal-Hlantun Tower. The hamlet has a real Big set out of chapels as well as historical places such equally the Xarolla Windmill, Armery, Plazzo Ganbatist, Wardija Tower, Bubaqra Tower as well as many other places of interest. Żurrieq is besides good known for the beach inwards Wied iż-Żurrieq as well as the Blue Grotto that tin give the sack hold upward institute found close Wied Babu.

Towers

In the hamlet of Zurrieq, i volition uncovering diverse archaeological remains dating dorsum from diverse periods. One of these early on findings was discovered inwards 1885, inwards the province known equally ta' Danieri limits of tal-Hlewwa. In this location Phoenician tombs were discovered containing the remains of 3 human skeletons as well as some pottery. On 1 August 1911, some other tomb was institute inwards the fields known equally tal-Gharghariet limits of Nigret. In the expanse known equally tal-Bakkari ruins were unearthed of a chapel, built on fifty-fifty older remains of what is idea to hold upward a Roman temple.

One should advert that inwards the same site, inwards 1921, pottery dating dorsum to either Punic or Roman times was institute inwards an surreptitious cistern simply nether the ruins of the same chapel. Some relics were idea to hold upward fifty-fifty of a onetime period, namely the bronze age. This would quest that the same sight was used through the ages diverse peoples, though ever for a spiritual purpose. One should besides advert that a pair of metres from this sight, i volition uncovering the ruins of i of the towers which is referred to equally Torri tal-Bakkari, which was constructed out of the same type as well as size of stone equally those institute inwards the chapel's ruins. On half dozen September 1920, this tower was identified as well as compared amongst the ruins of ii other towers partially standing as well as inwards a improve preserved condition.

The other ii towers are known equally tat-Torrijiet as well as tal-Gawhar situated inwards the areas known equally ta' Wilga as well as tal-Hlantun respectively. There are nevertheless contestations to their exact period, yet features may Pb i to associate the towers to Bronze or Punic times. All 3 towers are of a perfect circular sort as well as made of the same type of large stones, typically used long earlier Roman time, which is the menses given past times some. This may hold upward determined from close investigation on the site of tal-Gawhar, were diverse features inwards the stone tin give the sack hold upward observed, such equally altar shapes, holes to comprise liquid similar those used for sacrifice of blood, as well as other holes which could hold upward used to necktie upward animals close the same altar .

Tombs

In August 1926, a tomb was discovered close the Xarolla Windmill, as well as from farther investigations done on the sixth of the same month, it was determined that the tomb had already been touched as well as relics taken away, but at that spot were nevertheless some pottery dating dorsum to 200 A.D. Today these Paleo-Christian tombs are beingness excavated to their total extent afterwards side past times side tombs were discovered inwards 1995, which forthwith indicates a burial expanse of a larger size which could alone belong to a large settlement inwards the area. In these tombs, i may uncovering real interesting architectural features rarely institute inwards similar tombs on the island. The size of the expanse containing the tombs quest that inwards the area, at that spot has ever been a considerably large community, a settlement mark the expanse inwards time. There is the possibility that a Roman route passes through the expanse which would link the settlement inwards a both to northwest as well as the due south of the island. The same route may engagement fifty-fifty prior to Roman settlement as well as at that spot are indications that the Halfar Dolmen, the towers at tal-Bakkari as well as tat-Toirrijiet, the catacombs at tax-Xarolla, Hal Millieri as well as il-Mentna at Mqabba, are all on a perfect line.

On the 15th of March, 1930 a tomb was excavated containing human bones as well as roman pottery dating to the seventh century B.C.. On the 3rd of September, 1935 inwards a champaign known equally 'Ta' Farrat', close the Xarolla Windmill, a tomb was institute dating to the periods of the Carthaginians as well as Phoenicians, containing equally good Roman pottery remains. On the 13th of June, 1930, a Roman tomb was uncovered inwards Hal Far inwards the expanse known equally tal-Bakkari, some other on the fourth of July, 1956, as well as some other on the fifth of March, 1956, which were all excavated downward inwards the stone as well as institute containing Roman pottery of the 3rd period.

On the 13th of July, 1938, Dun Gwann Farrugia asked the Museums ascendence to hold back into a edifice institute inwards the gardens of the archpriest of Zurrieq. One volition uncovering reference to these remains inwards the mass past times J. Houel, Voyage Pittoresque de Sicile, Malte et Lipari. He claims that these remains engagement dorsum to the Greek period. Unfortunately today alone a minor tower belonging to a larger edifice remains, known due to the actual dating of the same tower, equally the Punic Tower. This tower is of corking involvement for the fact that punic remains on the isle a scarce. The construction of the tower is made of stone cutting inwards large perfectly foursquare blocks as well as set together amongst corking precision amongst the occupation of circular dowels (mincotti) to concur the same blocks inwards place.

Windmills

According to Chev. Guze Galea 'in 1674, Grandmaster Nicolo Cottoner, built 5 windmills around Malta. One of these was the windmill built inwards Nigret, Zurrieq, known 'tal-Qaret'. After some time, inwards 1724, Grandmaster re-built some other windmill following to it, known equally ta' Marmara, which was the surname of the commencement mortal to piece of work inwards the same windmill, Luret Marmara.

The windmill known equally tas-Salib, was built past times the Gafa' family, as well as knows its hollo to the hamlet cross situated simply to the due south W of the same windmill. Another windmill is that known equally tax-Xarolla, was built past times Grandmaster Manoel de Vilhena, inwards 1724. In 1992, this was restored to its original working lodge is forthwith the alone performance windmill inwards the islands of Republic of Malta as well as Gozo. This is a valuable witness of local civilization as well as heritage nevertheless has parts of theoriginal mechanisms as well as tin give the sack nevertheless grain the wheat. In the twelvemonth 2000, this edifice was passed over to hold upward administered past times the Zurrieq Local Council as well as is intended to serve besides equally a cultural centre.