On Top of the World

Photo by Dee Hayman

Even the quality of the light seems to change as you approach the village of Mellieha, known for its magnificent views, enchanting scenery and peaceful atmosphere. Away from the crowded villages of the centre, there are more open spaces here, the sea is always close and the sense of looking outwards from the edges of the island is tangible.

For a peaceful morning, pay a visit to the Sanctuary of the Madonna tal-Mellieha where, according to tradition, the Byzantine-style fresco depicting the Virgin Mary holding Christ on her right arm was painted by St Luke, when he was shipwrecked on the island together with St Paul. Recent studies indicate that the fresco is an early medieval 13th century painting but the sanctuary – covered with ex voto stories – is moving in its own right. Afterwards, sip a cuppa at Mellieha’s Seaview Bar, hidden away behind the parish church. Service and quality are modest – but the views – looking past the edges of Malta to Comino and Gozo beyond – are nothing short of breathtaking.

Making up the largest shelter complex in Malta, Mellieha’s World War II shelters were dug entirely by hand and are over 500 metres long. The complex includes lengthy corridors with anti-blast chambers, private rooms that accommodated entire families, a maternity section, and a guarded room reserved to protect paintings that were moved from the Valletta Museum to Mellieha for six months. The quota of space inside the shelters was two square feet per person, which was increased to four square feet because of extended attacks.

Or, if you fancy something more outdoor, stroll around the area surrounding the Red Tower and breathe in the amazing scenery. Built in 1649, St Agatha’s Tower in Mellieha, was one of seven towers built by Grand Master Lascaris. Situated on the crest of Marfa Ridge, it provides magnificent all-round views of the Gozo, Comino and the Ghadira Nature Reserve. A shallow alcove within the Tower housed a chapel dedicated to St Agatha – but the tower is better known as the Red Tower, due to its blushing pink walls, intended to make it easier for guards at other posts to identify it instantly.

St Agatha’s Tower was one of the main defensive positions during the time of the Knights of St John and was equipped with cannon and a garrison of 30 men, and supplied with enough food and ammunition to withstand a siege of 40 days.

There are two main reasons why the site in Mellieha was chosen: it had a good command of the approaches of Mellieha Bay and the ability to defend it and, from the area, troops could effectively maintain communications between Gozo/Comino and Mdina. It also had the advantage of providing an unobstructed view of enemy ships passing the straits between Malta and Gozo, and of troops attempting to disembark in northern Mellieha. As a result, troops could alert Mdina that an enemy force had been sighted.

The tower was manned during both World Wars and, in recent times, it was equipped as a radar station by the Armed Forces of Malta.

By the end of the nineties, however, its pink paint was crumbling away and the tower was recently restored by local heritage NGO Din L-Art Helwa. Also in recent years, the area around the tower was chosen as the site of an ambitious afforestation project, Foresta 2000, managed by Birdlife Malta, Din L-Art Helwa and the Parks Department of the Resources and Rural Affairs Ministry. A visit to the tower can now be combined with a walk through the growing natural beauty of the Foresta 2000 footpaths.

Throughout August,The Red Tower is opened by Din L-Art Helwa volunteers from Monday-Sunday from 10.00-13.00. Tuesdays open from 10.00-16.00.