The UNESCO-listed Hagar Qim Temples attract visitors who are interested in Malta’s megalithic sites. Perched on a rocky hilltop plateau, this archaeological site on Malta’s rugged southern coast overlooks the Mediterranean Sea and the Island of Filfla in the distance.
The ancient site, which dates from 3600 BC to 3200 BC, was buried beneath earthen mounds until its discovery in 1839. The striking entrance is made up of two upright stones supporting one stone lintel.
The architects of these magnificent prehistoric temples did not use a symmetrical layout of the three chambers. Instead, the chambers and apses communicate with one another, but not in a consistent manner. Each temple was designed to be a unique place of worship.
This 5,000-year-old site’s largest megalith is more than seven metres long and weighs approximately 20 tonnes. The small boulders scattered around the site were used as castors to move the massive megaliths into position.
Artifacts discovered on the site, including the Fat deities, thought to be fertility symbols, and the nude Venus of Malta, are on display at Valletta’s National Museum of Archeology.