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| Marsascala | ||
| Disctrict | South Eastern District | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 12.134 (2014) | |
| height | 12 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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Marsascala is a village on the northeastern tip of Malta in the South Eastern District.
background
The fishing village around the bay Marsaskala Creek was already settled in Roman times and was secured against invasions by the Turkish fleet in 1615 by a defense tower. Today, the number of inhabitants almost doubles, especially in the summer months, and you can swim and dive on the predominantly rocky sections of the beach.
history
The oldest traces can be found in the form of car ruts, track-like wagon tracks that date from prehistoric times.
In the area of Marsaskala Roman artifacts and ruins of Roman thermal baths were found in the area of "il-Gżira" (the peninsula in the area of the former hotel jerma Palace), catacombs date from early Christian times.
Marsakala was repeatedly the target of pirate incursions in the Middle Ages, when a Turkish fleet with 60 ships landed in 1614 and could be beaten back with difficulty by the knights of the Order of St. John, the fortress became St. Thomas Tower built to protect the two bays. The fortress was part of a coastal fortress network and was also used as a prison until World War II.
In the last fifty years the place has changed from a somewhat sleepy fishing port to a tourist destination with a beach promenade and diving schools, the luxury hotel financed with Libyan oil money Jerma Palace meanwhile stands empty as a ruin.
getting there
By plane
The 1 Malta International Airport located in Luqa nine and a half kilometers west of the city.
By bus
With Valletta resp. the central bus station in Floriana is the place with the line 91 the bus company Arriva connected to the airport in Luqa with the express line X5.
The bus route 119 leads along the coast as a peripheral line Birżebbuġa.
In the street
From the open area Valletta can be reached via Marsaskala Bormla (Cottonera) and the main street 24 or a little south over the main road 9 and south on Żejtun passing on the 134.
By boat
The port of Marsaskala is only suitable for fishing boats.
mobility
Locally one moves on foot.
Tourist Attractions
- the Bay 1 Marsaskala Creek with the moored fishing boats and the promenade surrounding the hill to the south of Siberia (due to the strong winds it can get chilly by Maltese standards) with the St. Thomas Tower. Are visible from the waterfront Salt pansin which salt is obtained through evaporation of sea water.
- the parish church 2 Sant'Anne was built to replace a much too small chapel in 1953 after the parish of Marsaskala gained independence in 1949.
- the little one is very close by 3 Our Lady of the Girdle (Tac Cintura) - chapel
- the ex 4 Old Church Local chapel and the 5 Our Lady of the Rosary Chapel are to the west of the central square with the roundabout.
- the 6 St Anthony of Padua Chapel from 1675. The feast in honor of Saint Anthony is celebrated on June 13th, the statue of the saint in the chapel is provided with a metal ring in the neck area, it was immersed in the water by the fishermen with a request for a blessing.
- the 7 St. Gaetan's Chapel was founded in 1657 by George Mamo near the family seat (Mamo Tower) built.
- 8 The Three Crosses in the hamlet of Bidni: the origin of the stone wall with its three crosses is in the dark. built to mark the border between the parishes of Zabbar and Żejtun.
- in the immediate vicinity is the 9 Madonna tad Dawl Chapel .
- the 10 St. Nicholas Chapel is located north of Marsaskala in the "green", it was built in 1759 in the area of an older chapel in honor of St. Nicholas of Bari.
The most important of the fortifications is:
- 11 St. Thomas Tower : the fortress tower became a grand master in 1615 Alof de Wignacourt Built to ward off landing operations by the Turks, in the event of imminent danger, mirrors or light signals could be used to alert the other towers along the coastline and request reinforcements. In front of the square tower with corner bastions, an artillery position surrounded by a ditch with cannons and a mortar was attached to the front in 1716.
Further watchtowers and defenses are
- the medieval one 12 Triq Il-Wisgha Tower on the north coast.
- the 13 Zonqor Tower on the northeast headland at the entrance to Marsakala Creek
- the 14 Zonqor Battery (Batterija Taz Zonqor) was built in 1882 to protect the Marsaskala Bay and was used as an ammunition depot during World War II. It is located in agricultural land and is not open to the public.
- the smaller fortifications 15 Redoubt of Briconet near today's center and 16 Redoubt of Ducluseaux to the south on St Thomas Bay
- the 17 Mamo Tower was built in 1657 by the Mamo family as a fortified family seat and has the shape of a St. Andrew's cross.
There are opportunities for excursions
- the 18 St Thomas Bay : the bay south of Marsaskala is a popular destination for bathers due to its shallow depth and a small stretch of sandy beach. The infrastructure is limited to the sale of drinks and snacks and a few machine gun nests and concrete barriers to prevent airplanes from landing.
- the 19 Munxar Path leads around Munxar Hill along the picturesque limestone cliffs.
- further south can go to 20 Xrobb l-Għaġin Nature Park to be changed in the area of the former transmission station of Deutsche Welle Malta, the area was converted into a nature park.
activities
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- Bathing in St Thomas Bay.
- Hikes along the coastal sections in the north to the watchtowers Zonqor Tower and Triq Il-Wisgha Tower.
- It will be at the end of July Feast of the Parish Patroness, the Saint Anne, celebrated. The "Ghaqda Muzikali St Anna" organizes the musically accompanied parade through Marsaskala, the festive decorations and the fireworks on this day.
- the 1 Sant'Antnin Family Park was built as part of an EU project in the area of renaturation of a former landfill: the area is freely accessible and has picnic areas, play and sports facilities and enclosures for small animals.
shop
There is a small supermarket in town for basic necessities and groceries.
kitchen
There are several restaurants on the waterfront.
nightlife
There are local discos and events only in the summer months.
accommodation
There are two hotels and several bed and breakfast and guest room offers on site, the luxury hotel Jarma Palace, which was built with Libyan money, has ceased operations and, as a ruin, is a somewhat bleak sight.
health
Practical advice
- Marsaskala Local Council, 228, Triq is-Salini; Marsascala MSK 3314. Tel.: 356 21637171, Fax: 356 21637744, Email: [email protected].
trips
literature
Web links
- www.marsaskala.org with tourism information, engl.
- Website of the Marsaskala Local Council with tourist information and general map
