Gozo is part of the Malta archipelago and is believed to have been settled by Sicilian farmers around 5000BC. Sicily lies around 60 miles north of Gozo.
Towering above the present city is the Citadel which is seen below from a distance towering over the present city. The building has been recently restored to much of its former glory. This series of posts will show some of the restorations and provide a simple history of the building.
The city of Victoria has built up around the original city over many generations. there was a time when although the city was expanding outwards, all citizens had to sleep inside the walls of the Citadel for safety as the Ottomans would raid the island. The last time being the great siege of 1551 when between 5 and 6000 people were captured and sold into slavery in the Lybian slave markets. This was almost the entire island population.
As can be seen, the citadel sits on a hill with views of most of the island. The present structure is built of limestone and was built with fortifications around 1500BC
Recently the entire building and approaches have been restored and include a visitors centre at the entrance to the site. I leave you to decide if the very modern centre is appropriate or not.
On my arrival on the island almost eight years ago, the area where the visitors' centre now resides was a giant set of steps to the main entrance of the perimeter walls. Climbing was made worthwhile as an ice cream van was located at the top of the steps. No room for one now!
To approach the entrance this steep hill presents itself. The road has been remade but the pedestrian steps are quite slippery.
When the original steps to the main entrance were removed the original foundations were exposed, together with these circular openings which were the entrance to silos built in the early years of the structure for grain storage. Replacement silos were installed inside the fortifications to replace them.
Here can be seen the extent of the excavations. The two walled up doorways used to be the toilets. Only seven years ago, the ground was flat right up to the doors. A large area of ground to remove. On such a small island only 9 miles by 5 miles, I wonder where they put the spoils.
Some of the exposed foundations exposed during restoration.
Rather than tackle the stairs or lift a ramp to gain entrance to the main building can also be used, at the base of the ramp are air raid shelter entrances that were cut into the rock in the 1940's. The ramp starts on the north-west corner of the structure. Just after access to the north wall.
The north wall of the castle is of original medieval construction with minimal restoration or even rebuilding when the castle was massively rebuilt in the early 16th century.
And so we arrive at the main entrance. This was not the original entrance. The large archway was built to allow a very tall statue to be brought outside from the cathedral within the walls on religeous festival days. A practice that occurs all over the island on various festival days. The new door has an opening above to allow passage of the statue.
The door which is reported by the ministry to have cost 398,000 Euro is the subject of fierce debate. Some people like it. Some hate it. What do you think?
Look out for #2 the next trip around the Gozo Citadella when we go inside.