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You are here: Home / History & Heritage / Winter Solstice at Mnajdra Temples

Winter Solstice at Mnajdra Temples

by Liz Ayling
December 17, 2012September 15, 2016Filed under:
  • History & Heritage

I’ve been meaning to make it to the summer solstice at Mnajdra Temples for the past two years. But, I just can’t manage to get out of bed (at around 04.30) to get there in time – and I am a bare 10 minutes’ drive away. I am just too comatose in the summer heat. So, perhaps I’ll fare better at seeing the first shafts of winter’s sunrise hit the temple’s inner sanctum. But, it’s pretty damp and chill in the air over night now and my duvet, not will power, might win. I’ve a month to mull it over though.

If you’re at all into prehistory, mysticism or ancient cults or just fancy a more unusual start to your Christmas week – well armed with a flask of hot coffee – then do try to make Heritage Malta’s guided tours of Mnajdra, Friday 21 December, meeting at Hagar Qim temple at 06.30 in front of the visitors’ centre.

But, you’ll have to be quick, numbers are limited in order to ‘enhance the visitor experience’.

A bit of background from the experts
The unique setting of the Mnajdra Temples at Qrendi, overlooking the coast, gives them a special charm not to be found in any other of the large-scale megalithic buildings of the Maltese Islands, many of which lie in more urban areas or inland.

Sunrise on the first day of each season underlines the relationship between the temples and celestial bodies. Although it is not known for certain whether these orientations were intentional, they are so systematic that this is very probable. In prehistoric agricultural societies, observation of the motion of the stars, the moon and sun could have been related to the changing seasons and times of planting and harvesting crops.

On these days, the first rays of the sun light up the edge of a megalith found to the right of the central doorway connecting the first pair of chamber to the inner chamber of the Lower Mnajdra Temple.

Event Tickets & Further Info
Experience the Winter Solstice from Mnajdra Temples on the 21 December. Tickets can be purchased from all HM sites/museums for the price of €15 per person and €10 for HM members and will include a tour of Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Temples and access to the Visitor Centre. Meeting time is 6.30 at Hagar Qim Temples Visitors Centre. Limited places. For further information contact 21424231.

For further information, see the Heritage Malta website.

Tagged:
  • Heritage Malta
  • prehistoric temples
  • winter solstice

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About Liz Ayling

Liz Ayling is a serial blogger, feature writer and self-taught geek who has been an expat in Malta for over 20 years. She founded destination site Malta InsideOut in 2009. You'll find her at at her screen in an old village farmhouse which she shares with her Maltese husband, teenage son and two cats. Liz considers herself an insider nowadays but never ceases to be surprised by all that Malta has to offer.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ursula says

    December 2, 2011 at 13:34

    too far from Gozo, would love to see it though

  2. Mike Silver says

    December 13, 2009 at 23:39

    Sounds like an amazing event, would love to be there, but alas I am not arriving for my Christmas in Malta until the evening of the 24th, shame!!

  3. Jesse says

    December 13, 2009 at 18:24

    Would love to be there…but over 3,000 miles away! Will you post some pictures please.
    Thanks. Happy Holidays

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