Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1523564
6 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 5 JULY 2024 Q & A Gozo offers a wide spectrum of heritage sites, and perhaps some unique sites, what does Gozo offer that Malta lacks? According to the National Cultural Policy (2021), the island of Gozo has "a distinctive character and a unique her- itage which transcend its peripherality". Furthermore "Gozo has the potential to reinforce the national dimension through its regional identity". Whilst Gozo has many heritage sites that com- pliment those in Malta, like coastal towers for example, some sites are quite unique. Għar Gerduf for instance, is a truly unique Roman burial site in Gozo, dat- ing back to the 3rd/4th century, better known as the paleo-Christian era. It is nestled at Wied il-Lunzjata, within the confines of Kerċem. This site has al- ways attracted the attention of scholars interested in our islands' archaeology. Already mentioned by Gian Franġisk Abela, the site was visited by erudite visitors who often included a descrip- tion of the place as they did for Ġgantija and the Xagħra Circle. The importance of Għar Gerduf can be appreciated when one considers that it was the only Phoenician, Carthaginian and Roman site in Gozo included in The Protec- tion of Antiquities Act of 1925, and is the only late Roman and Byzantine catacomb in Gozo described by Profes- sor Mario Buhagiar in his monumental survey of 1986. In 2000 (Notice 856), MEPA scheduled Għar Gerduf and a 100 metre buffer zone as a Class A ar- chaeological site, scheduling which is comparable to that given to Mnajdra and Ħaġar Qim, in recognition of its unique status amongst Gozitan cultur- al heritage monuments. A recent reas- sessment has claimed that Għar Gerduf has characteristics which diverge from contemporary sites in Malta claiming distinctive funerary functions in Gozo. The Aqueducts situated outside the limits of Victoria, which were built by the British between 1839 and 1843 to transport water from the springs sit- uated at Għajn Ilma to the reserviors situated beneath the Cittadella, are also unique. Infact these aqueducts are con- sidered as one of Gozo's icons. Another unique site is the Cittadella, also known as the Castello, which is the main historic fortress of Gozo, built at a strategic vantage point just in the centre of the island. The importance of this fortress emanates from its his- toric role as the island's central point of refuge and administrative and po- litical centre, all of which date back to antiquity. The present fortifications are a combination of an early seventeenth century bastioned enceinte 'alla Italia- na' and the remains of earlier medieval walls. The EU co-funded project for the implementation of the Cittadella Mas- ter plan recommendations ERDF 246, co-ordinated and inaugurated by the Ministry for Gozo on 30 June 2016, has been the largest project implemented in Gozo during the last years. It has won prestigious awards and has attracted overwhelming positive feedback. Re- cently, the Rehabilitation and Restora- tion project of Cittadella was declared as the WINNER of the 15th Anniversa- ry Regiostars Awards. This is the first time an EU project carried out in Malta ever won such an award, making this achievement that much more momen- tous. Xewkija Windmill is another some- what unique site in Gozo. It was built during the time of the Knights, pre- cisely in 1710, under the leadership of Grand Master Raymundo Perellos (1697-1720). Contrary to how the mills were built at the time of the Knights of St John, Xewkija mill was not built on a hill but on a flat stretch of land on the outskirts of Xewkija. This mill was the second one built in Gozo and is the old- est existing one on the island. The other mills in Gozo were built later, and some of them under the British. This mill functioned from 1710 to 1886. It has an octagonal shape, ie with eight points. It was built facing the main winds with its walls facing North, South, West, East, Southwest, Southeast, and Northeast. Recently it was restored through the ef- fective utilisation of EU funding oppor- tunities. The above mentioned sites fall under the remit of the Cultural Heritage Di- Heritage and culture tourism is vital for Gozo's economy, offering a wide spectrum of unique sites. JOSEPH C. XUEREB, Director of the Cultural Heritage Directorate, explains why these sites keep attracting visitors and what is being done to maintain their integrity and accessibility. Gozo's cultural and heritage sites a mainstay Għar Gerduf The Citadella, the main historic fortress of Gozo