Distinguished by its splendour, the Old Citadel or il-Gran Kastell, dominates Victoria’s skyline.

Surrounded by fortifications, it stands proudly on a high promontory in the centre of the island of Gozo.

Apart from its architectural, cultural and historical importance, Iċ-Ċittadella also houses a number of species which give it ecological value.

Iċ-Ċittadella is essentially constructed with local limestone and thus provides similar habitats as coastal fissures in limestone.

The walls and fortifications house the endemic Maltese salt tree and rare plants such as the Maltese toadflax and golden mayweed which grow in crevices of footpaths.

Bats and endemic species, such as the Maltese wall lizard and the Despott’s top snail, are also found at iċ-Ċittadella.

This Natura 2000 site will be subject to the preparation of a management plan and/or legislation in the near future, as part of an EU-funded project that Mepa is undertaking for the management planning all the terrestrial Natura 2000 sites of the Maltese islands.