Clapham Junction, officially called Misrah Ghar il-Kbir, is widely known for its mysterious Cart Ruts. Many scientists tried to find out the way these irregularities of the rock appeared, but there are no explanations, which could be grounded by the facts. The first discussion on the possible origin of the ruts is dated by the 17th century. Still, no findings, records or even legends which could explain the mystery have been ever found.
Ggantija is the oldest and largest complex of the world renowned megaliths of Malta. This impressive and mysterious construction made of huge rustic stones and giant blocks attracts thousands of tourists, who are interested in archeology and history. Constructed in the Neolithic era more than 5000 years ago, this complex belongs to the World Heritage sites along with five other megalithic temples of Malta and Gozo islands.
Ghar Dalam (Eng. – The Cave of darkness) is the most antique cave in Malta. It is considered to be the first known place of human presence in Malta and nowadays is an important scientific object and popular tourist attraction.
The Megalith temples of Malta are the most ancient religious constructions on our planet and are even older than the famous Egyptian pyramids. It is not surprising that they belong to the World Heritage of UNESCO. The Hagar Qim temple that was constructed in the 4th millennium BC is one of them and nowadays it causes interest of the tourists from all over the world.
Hypogeum of Hal Saflieni is a unique underground temple located in the town of Paola. It was built approximately in 4000 BC and is situated 11 meters under the under surface. The temple is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage and some historians and archaeologists insist on Hypogeum being recognized as the eighth Wonder of the World.
Mnajdra is a megalithic complex of three Neolith temples located on the south coast of Malta. It was built approximately in 3000 BC. Mnajdra is so important for Maltese culture that it is depicted on the coins of 1, 2 and 5 euro cents. Nowadays it is part of UNESCO World Heritage and is under legal protection.
Though lying in ruins, Skorba megalithic temples stand out for their unique discovery history. These megaliths were found and excavated only in the 60s of the last century, much later than other Neolithic landmarks of Malta. Through the use of modern approach and current technology, archaeologists could excavate multiple precious artifacts, which enriched collections of historical and archaeological museums in Malta, while the prehistoric temple complex became one of World Heritage Sites.
Although not so much haunted as St. Paul’s catacombs, St. Agatha’s historical complex attracts a lot of tourists, who are interested in archeology and in the history of early Christianity. The complex includes mysterious catacombs with ancient tombs, fabulous St. Agatha’s crypt with age-old frescoes, an acting church of the 16th century dedicated to the martyr and a tiny, but exciting archeological museum.
St. Cataldus Catacombs in Rabat are located under the St. Cataldus Church. The graves in these catacombs are in the form of four poster bed. Other graves are simply hewn in the rocks. These catacombs have still the agape table – a small platform above the ground on which, once a year, the relatives of the deceased, feted their loved ones.
Malta is a country with numerous places of interests both on the land surface and underground. Among the latter ones are Saint Paul`s catacombs and grotto in Rabat which played a significant role in the development of Christianity in Malta and nowadays have become an important tourist attraction.
