Think the Pyramids of Giza are the oldest buildings in the world? Wrong. Ġgantija on Gozo is 1,000 years older. Malta's megalithic temples are the oldest freestanding stone structures on Earth — over 5,500 years old. And nobody really knows how they were built.
What Are They?
Monumental cult complexes built from enormous limestone blocks by a prehistoric culture that inhabited Malta between approximately 3600 and 2500 BC. Built without knowledge of the wheel, without metal, without iron tools. Only stone, animal bones, fire, and knowledge lost to us.
Main Complexes
- Ġgantija (Gozo): The oldest. The largest. Two connected temples, with walls reaching 6 metres high. Entry approx. €9. A must if you visit Gozo.
- Ħaġar Qim (South Malta): The best preserved. It stands on a cliff overlooking the sea and the island of Filfla. A special protective membrane now covers it to prevent rain damage.
- Mnajdra (South Malta): Literally 500 metres from Ħaġar Qim. More rugged, uncovered. Has astronomical alignment — the sunrise at solstice falls precisely through the temple doorway.
- Tarxien (Malta): In the middle of a residential neighbourhood. Less spectacular, but with excellent sculptures and artefacts. Worth seeing for original decorated stone fragments.
Who Built Them?
We genuinely do not know. The Maltese Temple Period culture appeared around 3600 BC and completely vanished around 2500 BC — as if it died out or emigrated within a single generation. No trace of transition to the next culture exists. One of prehistory's greatest mysteries.