Sun spot
One of the most important events in the Heritage Malta calendar occurs this month, when the summer solstice is observed at Hagar Qim and Mnajdra. The solstice occurs on midsummer-day June 21 and on this day Heritage Malta will be running a Heritage...
One of the most important events in the Heritage Malta calendar occurs this month, when the summer solstice is observed at Hagar Qim and Mnajdra. The solstice occurs on midsummer-day June 21 and on this day Heritage Malta will be running a Heritage Trail tour to both Mnajdra and Hagar Qim, to observe this extraordinary phenomenon. The visitors will witness the summer solstice temple phenomenon at one of these sites and will have a guided tour of the other temple plus a visit to the Tarxien Temples is also on the schedule.
The cost of this particular Heritage Trail is Lm7 per head and this includes breakfast and transport. Pre-booking is essential since numbers are limited. Booking is from Heritage Malta head office Tel. 2295 4312. Transport will leave from outside St John's Co-Cathedral at a time which will be notified on booking.
Observing the summer solstice at the temples is said to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. As the sun creeps over the horizon on this day, a shaft of sunlight penetrates a small aperture in the outer wall of both temples simultaneously and shines directly on the centre of the main altars at both sites. Let's remember that these temples are among the oldest monuments on earth. Hagar Qim dates back to between 3600 to 3200 BC, while Mnajdra is slightly later, dating from between 3150 and 2500 BC. The uncanny accuracy of the penetrating beam means that there has been virtually no earth movement, neither tremors nor man-made shifts, in the intervening centuries. For people with their own transport, or who do not wish to partake of the Heritage Trail to the temples, there will be a special opening of both sites. The event will cost Lm5 per person and include a talk on the project planned for the conservation of both sites. Again booking is from the Heritage Malta head office, at the telephone number given above.
The cost of this particular Heritage Trail is Lm7 per head and this includes breakfast and transport. Pre-booking is essential since numbers are limited. Booking is from Heritage Malta head office Tel. 2295 4312. Transport will leave from outside St John's Co-Cathedral at a time which will be notified on booking.
Observing the summer solstice at the temples is said to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. As the sun creeps over the horizon on this day, a shaft of sunlight penetrates a small aperture in the outer wall of both temples simultaneously and shines directly on the centre of the main altars at both sites. Let's remember that these temples are among the oldest monuments on earth. Hagar Qim dates back to between 3600 to 3200 BC, while Mnajdra is slightly later, dating from between 3150 and 2500 BC. The uncanny accuracy of the penetrating beam means that there has been virtually no earth movement, neither tremors nor man-made shifts, in the intervening centuries. For people with their own transport, or who do not wish to partake of the Heritage Trail to the temples, there will be a special opening of both sites. The event will cost Lm5 per person and include a talk on the project planned for the conservation of both sites. Again booking is from the Heritage Malta head office, at the telephone number given above.