10/7/24: Central Malta's Cart Ruts, Dingli Cliffs, Catacombs, & More!

After frankly having our fill of megalithic temples for a bit, Steven and I happily continued our exploration of Central Malta! That part of the main island combined beautiful historic centers with some of the island's most spectacular scenery.

I loved driving along the narrow country lanes in the island's center.

Verdala Palace was built in 1586 as a summer residence for Grand Master de Verdale and used as a hunting retreat by the Knights of Malta. Its roles changed over the years: in the 19th century, it served as a military prison under the French and the summer residence of British governors. It is now the summer home of the Maltese President.

The amusing sculpture was unusual in Malta.

From the palace, it was a short drive to Buskett Gardens, Malta's only extensive forest. The Knights planted the groves of pine, oak, olive, and orange trees as hunting grounds. A walking path through the trees was inviting.

As Malta is so flat and small, we caught another view of Verdala Palace whose corner towers were only built for show.

From the same spot was a view to the west of the golfball-shaped Radar Tower by the Dingli Cliffs...

and, to the north, the imposing skyline of the city of Rabat.

Before reaching the Dingli Cliffs or Rabat, however, we turned inland to Clapham Junction to walk along some mysterious prehistoric tracks known as Cart Ruts. The abundance of ruts found all over the islands of Malta and Gozo is one of the biggest mysteries of Malta's prehistoric period. The ‘cart ruts’ were a series of deep parallel grooves scored in exposed bare limestone that looked exactly like ruts worn by carts' wheels. Since cart ruts were first mentioned in the 17th century, their existence has been a highly debated subject by scholars, professional archaeologists, and foreign visitors. The ruts have been studied to try and provide an understanding of how and why they were created.

The distance between each parallel rut was usually 1.41cm, and their depth of up to 60cm meant that wheeled carts likely would have gotten jammed if they tried to use them. I read that a likelier explanation is that the grooves were created by a travois, a term I first heard in my native Canada for a type of sled often used by Indigenous people in the country’s early days. A travois would have had two parallel poles joined by a frame and dragged behind a beast of burden. It still begs the question of what was being transported – could it have been topsoil carted from low-lying areas to hillside terraces to create fields for cultivation where people were living? 

The Clapham Junction area is considered to have the most extensive set of ruts anywhere on the Maltese islands. 

A Punic/Roman tomb cut into one set of ruts indicated that the ruts were present before the tomb and offered further information about the ruts' creation dates.

A good number of the ruts were found near old quarries, which may lend credence to the theory that they were used to transport stones to building sites. Within view and earshot of the ruts was Ta'Zuta Quarry.

Heading west along the shore, we saw the simple, cliff-side Chapel of St. Mary Magdalene that likely dates to the 15th century. Though the church was barely standing and almost in ruins by 1575, services were still held on the saint's feast day. The current structure dates to the 17th century when it was opened for public worship in 1646.

Out back were stunning vistas of the Mediterranean Sea and of the 253-meter-high, stark Dingli Cliffs, known by locals as the place where the sky and sea meet, as it’s the highest point on the Maltese Islands. The cliffs and village were named for either the Maltese architect Tommaso Dingli, 1591-1666, or his 16th-century English namesake Sir Thomas Dingli, who lived nearby. 

We loved sitting a spell and taking in the panoramic coastal views and the tiny uninhabited island of Filfla. 

There were a slew of benches along the cliffs, but we happened to sit at one with a plaque that said 'Never Stop Traveling.' I couldn't have said it better myself! 

Perched on the edge of Dingli Cliffs nearby was the incongruous radar tower we'd spotted earlier.

Though Dingli village was small, its parish church was impressive. However, I did not understand the clock on the facade!

A few miles inland was the charming town of Rabat, whose skyline we'd caught a glimpse of from the cart ruts. The town's main square:

The town's most important church, St. Paul's Church, was unfortunately closed.

Across from the church were St. Paul's Catacombs, named for their proximity to the church. Dating to the 3rd century AD, they were used for approximately 500 years. Important settlements of the Roman world were riddled with underground mazes that housed the dead in rock-cut graves. Known as catacombs, these collective tombs date to the early Christian era. It's been determined that the Maltese catacombs were used by Christian, Jewish, and pagan populations because of the art and inscriptions found inside them. Many of these catacombs were decorated with painted frescos and carvings, some with more ornate features than others.

Descending into the catacombs, we first encountered the Grotto of St. Paul, a simple chapel whose walls were adorned with ancient frescoes. St. Paul is said to have preached here during his stay in Malta.

Malta's most famous catacombs are St. Paul’s Catacombs in Rabat. They share many characteristics with others in the Roman world but are much smaller. They cover about 2,000 square meters and have the usual rabbit warren of tunnels and rock-cut graves. Cultural interest in these old burial sites followed centuries of use for other purposes. Most hypogea or underground tombs had parts that had been quarried away and were used as wells and for animals. 

A notable early visitor to the catacombs was Lord Horatio Nelson in May 1800, who was welcomed by the residing chaplains of the Knights of Malta.

This area was once the water cistern used by the Knights of St. John. The various apertures already available in the wall provided a good starting point to dig out air raid shelters used during WW II. The individual rooms were dug out by hand with pickaxes once the war had begun and thus were done in haste. That was only possible due to the soft yet sturdy Globigerina limestone also used for the megalithic temples we'd explored at Tarxien, Hagar Qim, and Mnajdara. The shelters helped save thousands of lives during the intense bombing of Malta. 

As electricity was a very recent discovery in Malta and was not widespread during the war, lanterns were the most common way of illuminating the underground passages. Another way to light the shelters was to use simple oil lamps which were carefully balanced in little niches carved along the corridors of the shelter.  

We overheard a guide say that each private shelter or room dug out by the city of Rabat cost a family one hundred British pounds to use for the duration of the war.

After viewing corridors of rooms used as shelters during the war, we proceeded to the catacombs, reached by a flight of stone steps. Some of the floors had intricately decorated floors, but there was no information as to their age.

While catacombs are prevalent throughout the Mediterranean world, the Maltese catacombs include a characteristic not found anywhere else. Known as agape tables or triclinia, they consisted of a round table with a rimmed basin top and a reclining bench which merged into a single piece of furniture. Their use has been the subject of archaeological debate for decades. Some experts believe they were used for funerary feasts by early Christians. The meals were likely held as an expression of devotion and fraternal love. 

The agape table had many signs of wear and tear, which indicated the burial places remained in use long after the feasts ended. I admit to being wowed walking into a spot used for religious purposes centuries ago and also not found anywhere else in the world!

Visiting the catacombs would have been unpleasant for anyone worried about being in tight spaces, as some of the passageways were extremely narrow!

The largest room in the catacombs:

After being confined for so long, Steven and I both heaved a sigh of relief when we caught a glimpse of light and fresh air.

A message written by Pope John Paul II, who visited the church and its catacombs on May 27, 1990, which also happened to be our son's birthday, was on a large stone plaque on the side of the church. He wrote, "Earlier today at Rabat, I was privileged to spend a few moments in silent prayer at the ancient grotto venerated at Saint Paul's dwelling during his stay in Malta...God bless Malta, God bless you all."

Next to the Catacombs in the center of Rabat was the Baroque-style Wignancourt Museum. Constructed in the 17th century, it was named after Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt, who ruled over the Maltese Islands between 1601 and 1622. It housed the conventual chaplains of the Order of St. John, who held liturgical services in St. Paul's Grotto. After the Knights left Malta, the building was used as a school, infirmary, and town hall for the parish. During the war, shelters with corridors were dug out so families could find shelter during air raids. The building now serves as a museum with mostly religious objects. 

The carved wood, silver, and gilded revolving exposition throne backed by brilliant rays was of 19th-century Maltese craftsmanship.

One of Wignancourt's most prized possessions was the modest 18th-century portable altar of Maltese craftsmanship. It was neither adorned with gold nor much valued in its heyday. But, centuries later, when most other portable altars were lost to time, it became a unique object. This kind of altar was a staple on any galley bearing the flag of the Sovereign Military Order of the Knights of St. John. Portable altars were highly practical as they allowed the Knights to hear Mass whenever and wherever they wanted to. They were given permission to celebrate Mass at sea.

As one would expect in a predominantly Catholic nation, the museum displayed sacred vestments from the papacy and the Order.

What caught my eye was this marvelous ebony and ivory inlaid 18th-century cabinet with a dozen external drawers and three small hidden ones. Behind those drawers was a hidden space that would have been used for the most precious or secretive items.

The museum's paintings included Italian master Matti Preti's The Penitent St. Peter and Madonna of Sorrows. We'd been lucky enough to see other Preti masterpieces in Sicily earlier in this trip.

An intricate collection of models of 30 wayside chapels in Malta and Gozo, made by George Pellegrini Petit, 1924-2012, was donated to the Wigancourt Museum in 2000. What a labor of love!

The Chapel of the Wignacourt Collegio was constructed in 1748 under the auspices of Knight Grand Master Fra Emmanuel for the private devotions of the residing chaplains.

The early 17th-century wooden carved and gilded bust of St. Matthew, along with a relic of the saint, was donated to St. Paul's Grotto in 1609.

I struggled to accept the ostentatious 1937 Austin Six Limousine used by Archbishops Carauna and Gonzi, as they didn't appear to adhere to a vow of poverty.

Shots of our wander through the delightful city of Rabat:

The bakery sold traditional Maltese delights like fig and honey rings. Though they looked yummy, we didn't try any because Steven is very allergic to all nuts, and there were pastries with nuts in the case.

Around the corner from the main square was St. Cathaldus Church, with its own crypt and catacombs.

Down the lane was St. Agatha's Crypt and yet more catacombs! We'd initially planned to tour them because they contained what was described as a series of remarkable frescoes dating from the 12th to the 15th centuries. 

St. Agatha was a 3rd-century martyr from Sicily who fled to Malta to escape the amorous advances of a Sicilian governor. According to legend, this church was her hiding place. When she returned to Sicily, she was imprisoned and tortured, her breasts cut off by shears and then burnt at the stake. Although we'd have liked to see the frescoes, and Etruscan, Roman, and Egyptian artifacts, the church and museum were closed. We weren't too disappointed, as we were 'done' seeing catacombs for the day!

Gazing at traditional Maltese balconies once again in Rabat was a treat, as they had won us over in Valletta days before.

Formerly Palazzo Xara, the lovely Casa Bernard was a 16th-century privately owned palace and home to the Lisle Adam Band Club. You may recall from reading one of the posts on Valletta that each town in Malta had its own band club. 

So many doorways in Rabat had endearing decorations like this one that I'll devote a post to them and other religious monuments.

Next post: Rabat's 'twin city' of Mdina, literally just up the street from the sights in Rabat.

Posted on March 18th, 2025, still from home in Denver as Steven recovers from back surgery a month ago today. I smile when friends keep asking when we're hitting the road again, as they're not used to our being home this long! Please take care of yourself and your loved ones, and stay safe.