Il-Qala ta' l-Imgarr (2)

I followed with interest the debate between Professor Stanley Fiorini and Emeritus Professor Godfrey Wettinger (The Sunday Times, June 11, 18 and 25). Professor Fiorini asserted: "it may transpire that it was Cala Mugiarr, after all, if archaeologists can come up with evidence for a medieval tower there".

An old map dating to the period of the Knights of Malta, drawn up by Ion. Baptista Homann, shows that Mgarr was guarded by a medieval tower. But this tower was built by Grand Master Garzes in 1600. So it is out of the question. It was demolished under British rule to be make way for a road over the valley, leading from Mgarr to Qala and Nadur.

This recalls to my mind a small tower standing, from time immemorial, in front of the Sanctuary of the Immaculate Conception at Qala, then Santa Marija tal-Qala. This tower served hostel pilgrims visiting the Sanctuary. It was the first hotel or hostel in Gozo. Due to the stream of pilgrims to the Sanctuary, Fr Indri Seychel, the priest in charge of the Sanctuary, ordered it to be demolished and a bigger house to be constructed instead. It was completed in 1745.

A coat of arms embellishes the simple architecture of the façade of this house and it is still called It-Torri (The Tower), both by the family living there in and by the locals. It may be that some remains of the old tower can still be seen at the back of this house, but they are on private property.

It could be surprising if it could be proved that King Alfonso, following in the footsteps of Count Roger who visited the Sanctuary in 1091, wrote his letter at Qala (Latin Cala) in the small tower, in front of the Sanctuary.