10/5/24: Malta's Southeast Coastal Delights!

After first exploring the Inquisitor's Palace in Vittorosia, Steven and I drove southeast of Malta's capital city of Valletta toward the charming town of Marsaskala, located near the head of a long, narrow bay. Formerly a Sicilian fishing village, it has become a popular residential area and seaside resort. 

We enjoyed a 20-minute ramble along the stone cliffs to catch a great view of its main attraction, the Munxar Window, a stunning natural limestone arch. 

At the southern end of nearby Marsaxlokk Bay was Delimara Point and its lighthouse, which dates to 1854. It was closed while undergoing restoration.

Sadly, much of the area was blighted by a large power station.

We hadn't realized that Malta produced its own wine!

More adventurous swimmers than we followed the narrow path from the lighthouse to access the beach at St. Peter's Pool, a popular natural swimming spot in the bay.

Ahead was the enchanting fishing village of Marsaxlokk, located at the head of the bay of the same name. Described as "resolutely remaining a slice of Maltese life, despite the encroachment of industry," the town is Malta's second natural harbor. The Turkish fleet moored in the bay during the Great Siege of 1565, Napoleon's army landed here during the French invasion of 1798, and Britain's Imperial Airways used the bay's calm waters as a staging post for its huge flying boats in the 1930s.

Crowding the harbor was a photogenic fleet of brightly colored luzzu, or fishing boats, which have become one of Malta's national symbols. About seventy percent of Malta's fishing fleet makes Marsaxlokk their home. The boats, painted boldly in blue, red, and yellow, were decorated with the watchful Eyes of Osiris on their bows to ward off evil spirits. The luzzu were double-ended fishing boats, which means it was pointed at both ends. The boats are said to owe their design to the ancient Phoenicians, who first landed in Malta around 800 BC.

Other boats included a kajjik, whose square transom meant it was pointed at only one end, and a dghasja, a smaller and racier-looking boat with a very high stem and stern posts, so it looked like a Maltese gondola.

Just in from the harbor was the town's main square and the Church of Our Lady of Pompeii. I would have loved to see its interior as it had two clocks, one painted and permanently set a few moments before the witching hour of midnight to ward off evil spirits!

Picturesque, old, low-rise homes bordered the waterfront. 

The town was also home to St. Lucian's Tower, a squat little fortress that guarded the headland beyond Marsaxlokk. The Knights built the tower in 1610 as part of their coastal defenses.

We then drove to Ghar Dalam Cave and Museum, located in Birzebbuga, a former fishing village on the western shore of Marsaxlokk Bay. Ghar Dalam, or 'cave of darkness,' has yielded a treasure trove of fossil bones in its 500,000-year-old depths.

While Steven relaxed outside, I walked through the museum. There, I learned that while Malta never had an Ice Age, unlike Europe, its effects were still considerable on the Maltese islands. They caused changes in Climate: Torrential rains and floods during their 'Rain Age' swept away animals and excavated valleys; Sea Levels: An enormous fall in the sea level resulted in the exposure of submarine banks between Sicily and Malta; Local fauna: Elephants, bears, hippopotami, wolves, and others escaped the rigorous climates in Europe and migrated southward, ultimately reaching Malta; and Animal Size: To ensure survival, these animals underwent progressive adaptations and size changes.

When these two bulky human molars, also known as bull teeth, were discovered in 1918, they made history and put Ghar Dalam on the map. They were evidence of the first human habitation on Malta, from 7400 years ago!

Three species of hippopotamus roamed Malta during the Pleistocene Period, which occurred about 180,000-130,000 years ago. The displays showed some of their toe bones and molars.

Thousands upon thousands of other ancient animal bones and teeth were also on display!

The remains of a relatively large Roman villa, known as a villa agraria, were visible outside the museum on the way to the cave. Part of a stairway indicated it had been a two-story building built around a central courtyard. The structure had been an agricultural building focused on the production of olive oil because of the large anchor weight used to hold an olive oil press in place, 

Up until 1912, the cave was used as a cattle, sheep, and goat pen. This triangular-shaped rock with a perforation at the top was used to tether animals while grazing outside the cave.

During WW II, the British Royal Air Force used Ghar Dalam to store aviation fuel for the planes stationed at the nearby aerodromes. The precious fuel was protected by surrounding the cave with barbed wire, some of which was still visible.

A walkway led 50 meters into the cavern, where the lowest layers, contained remains belonging to dwarf elephants, hippopotamuses, micro-animals, and birds. As the animals were all European-type, it suggested that Malta was once joined to Italy, not northern Africa.

The first hippopotamus layer:

Thank goodness there were information panels in the cave. One stated that this was a stratigraphic column that showed the sequence of cave deposits. 

This part of the cave contained bones of deer, domestic animals, and other types of hippopotamuses.

The initials GD on the wall stood for Giuseppe Despott, the museum's first curator of natural history from 1922 to 1933. His excavations unearthed the two bull teeth, which were then believed to belong to a Neanderthal man. 

The stalagmite columns protruding from the column marked periods of dry climatic conditions. 

Deeper in the cave was another hippopotamus layer. 

There was a significant amount of graffiti on the cave walls, some dating to the early 20th century, commemorating the beginning or end of an excavation. In addition, soldiers on duty during the War scribbled their names on the walls.

I was glad I explored the cave, but I didn't find it riveting. If you're in the area and have plenty of time, stop by, but don't expect to be wowed unless you're a serious spelunker!

Across from the cave were old fuel depositories used after the war. After fuel was piped from the harbor, they were no longer needed. 

On the coast road from Birzebbuga to Marsaxlokk was the "Seasick Summit Monument,” otherwise known as the Cold War Memorial. In early December 1989, after two days of talks, Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev and US President George W. Bush declared an end to the Cold War on board a cruiser in Marsaxlokk Bay. Unfortunately, the summit coincided with some of the worst storms to ever hit the Maltese coastline, and the flotilla anchored in the bay was badly damaged. As a result, the press dubbed the meeting the Seasickness Summit!

From the monument, we had a glorious view of St. Lucian's Tower across St. George's Bay.

Another view was of the oldest oil depot in Malta, which Shell opened in 1914. In 1921, a large pontoon was built to allow ships to moor alongside for the disembarkation of oil products. 

That night, back 'home' in Senglea, Steven and I devoured a lovely meal and wine overlooking Valletta's Great Harbor, one of the most beautiful sights we've ever experienced!

Next post: The mysterious Hal Saflieni underground burial complex and the Tarxien Temple.

Posted on March 6th, 2025, from sunny Denver as we await another spring snowstorm, lucky us! Please take great care of yourself and your loved ones during these unsettling times, and sow kindness as far as you can.

10/5/24: Vittoriosa's Unnerving Inquisitor's Palace

 

Earlier in the day, Steven and I had strolled along Vittoriosa's glorious alleys, taking in the town’s significant historic sights, including the Inquisitor's Palace. I felt this unusual tourist location deserved its own post. Built in the 1530s, it served as the civil law courts for the Order of St. John for 40 years before becoming the tribunal and prison of the Inquisition. Its task was to rout out and suppress heresy for 220 years. The Inquisitor’s Palace is one of the few surviving palaces erected by the Roman Inquisition in Europe and South America. 

Model fans would have been entranced by Ruzar Calleja's accurate and to-scale model of pre-1939 Vittoriosa, formerly known as Birgu.

The palace's first floor was the only part that remained virtually untouched through the centuries. Some rooms were initially used as prison cells, but they were later transformed into storage facilities. The Inquisitors resided on the upper floors both for privacy and because of the dampness on the lower floors. 

It was disheartening to learn that the Inquisitors did their best to live sumptuously and impress their guests with fine imported wines and lavish foods during their stay in the palace. An inventory from 1798 revealed that this area under the staircase was a wine cellar.

I couldn't help but be struck by the beautiful artwork, but it seemed incongruous that it was in a room where Inquisitors lived.

The palace's first chapel was built near the front door in the late 16th century, when the first general Inquisitor, Pietro Dusina, arrived on the Maltese islands. After an earthquake hit Malta in 1693, the chapel was moved upstairs, and completely refurbished in the 1720s. Though Steven and I had toured other Inquisition sites in South America, I hadn't known that there was a patron saint of the Roman Inquisition. It was St. Peter the Martyr whose feast day is celebrated each May. During the palace's occupation by the British military forces in the 19th century, the chapel suffered extensive damage, but that was reversed by a curator in the 1930s. 

The Council of Trent, 1545-1563, reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s Articles of Faith and established rules for clergy conduct. Generally, Catholic missionaries - whether they were inquisitors, friars, or Jesuits - spent their time evangelizing since the prior methods used by parish clergy were ineffective among the lower strata. As the Council advanced, the Inquisition took it upon themselves to communicate what they perceived as the truth and fight ignorance and heresy to convert ordinary folk to the Church's doctrine.

One wing of the palace was known as the Ruffo Apartments after the prelate who enlarged it after the earthquake. Pope Innocent XII approved the changes and lived in the palace from 1644 to 1648. Their coats of arms were still visible in the friezes in every room of the wing. 

The robe was eerily similar to those worn by the Klu Klux Klan in our city of Denver and elsewhere in the US.

It was disconcerting to read that it was everyone's duty to report anyone going against the Church's rules, in their opinion. Since each accused person had to be summoned to verify the truth, witnesses played a critical role in the inquisitors' search for evidence. People from all walks of life were unexpectedly summoned to testify, including the Baroque artist Caravaggio in 1607.

The use of torture was a means to extract truth during trials and was rarely inflicted by Inquisitors unless they were absolutely sure about a person's guilt. It was applied following strict rules and after considerable guidance. 

Corporal punishments, on the other hand, were generally vindictive to compensate for the harm committed. They included kneeling or whipping in public and working on government fortifications.

The possession and reading of prohibited books and the printing or defense of heretical writings were offenses that could only be discharged by the Inquisitor and the Holy Office. Books were often burned in front of a large crowd in a square, generally in Vittoriosa. 

Spiritual punishment: Most of the sentences were of a spiritual nature to cure the condemned's spirit. These included the recitation of prayers and penitential psalms, fasting on bread and water, and pilgrimages to Marian shrines. The Holy Office sometimes asked for certificates to prove the penance had been carried out. 

The Prison Warden was a layman chosen by the Inquisitor who was sworn to secrecy and had one of the lowest salaries among Inquisition officials. He was required to lead an exemplary life and avoid any kind of unethical behavior. His general duties included checking materials received by prisoners, escorting prisoners outside the palace according to their sentences, and restoring torture equipment.

In addition, the warden was also responsible for the security of the prison complex and accountable for the condition of the walls, doors, and windows; the strict application of sentences delivered to prisoners; the prisoners' well-being, including supplying food and water rations, and reporting on the prisoners' state of health. The warden was only removed from office for inefficiency or old age. 

The warden's room:

Trial Procedures in the Tribunal: The first step involved was Repentance, which could be voluntary self-repentance, imposed self-denunciation, or denunciation by others. 

Next up was the Trial, in which all those involved were imperatively required to appear before the Holy Office to have the veracity of the accusations checked. The Inquisitor would cross-examine the suspect and witnesses to obtain the necessary evidence. If any of the interviewees were suspected of withholding evidence, torture might be used to extract the truth. Once guilt was established, the Inquisitor would announce a verdict. 

Sentences: Penalties for those people found guilty in the Tribunal included fasting on bread and water, regular Confession, taking the Holy Eucharist, whipping, public humiliation, and exile. Only in extremely rare circumstances were prisoners condemned to death. Those found innocent were released and, as necessary, warned by the Inquisition.

Depending on the palace's needs at the time, this room might have been used as a prison cell, the prison warden's room, or a torture chamber. Particularly sinister was the rope contraption used to extract confessions in the room. 

Secret stairs led the accused or those wanting to denounce someone to the Inquisitor directly into the Tribubunal Room. That way, neither the prisoner's identity nor the identity of others would be revealed. Secrecy was of the utmost importance for the Inquisition's legal procedures. 

Prison cells: 

This mid-17th-century well had formerly been a toilet for prisoners locked in the communal prison cell above it. Acid marks left by human feces were visible on the opposite wall.

Abolition: With the advent of the Enlightenment and the advance of French power in Rome, the last Inquisitor, Giulio Carpenga, was asked to leave the island in 1798, two weeks before the arrival of Napoleon and French forces. In the name of freedom, they freed Malta from the Inquisitorial Tribunal and confiscated its property. 

The Inquisition's long history in Malta was a sad chapter in Malta's history.

Next post: A much happier escape later that day to Malta's Munxar Window, Delimara Pt, Marsaxlokk, Għar Dalam Cave, and the End of the Cold War Memorial!

Posted on March 3rd, 2025, from our home in Denver's Foothills, west of the capital city, as we await another blizzard in just hours. Skiers and the snow resorts are thrilled, but those of us wanting to remain firmly on our feet aren't so thrilled! As our friend Ruth reminded me this weekend, sow kindness as far as you can reach.