Gozo’s historical attractions (Malta)

Like the main island of Malta, the island of Gozo has many historic attractions as well as beautiful natural sights. Here are some of the historic attractions.

Gozo Citadel

The Gozo Citadel is essentially a fort with a city in it.  You can tour the Cathedral, WWII shelters, and prison there, as well as see the grain silos, and defensive fortifications. The citadel was used to protect those living on the island from various invaders over the centuries. Part of the outside wall is a great viewpoint for a walk. One ticket gives you access to the visitor center, Old Prison, Nature Museum, Gran Castello Historic House, and the Gozo Museum of Archaeology. A ticket is not needed to walk around the area.

-Gozo Citadel’s Old Prison

The Old Prison in the Citadel is worth a visit to see where misbehaving knights were held when they were “rowdy” according to a sign there (which is apparently how they were referred to when they dueled or murdered someone).  In the prison, you can see carvings the prisoners made on the walls of ships, their hands, knights’ crosses, windmills,  and other figures. Informational signs tell you about different punishments, escapes, work duties, and what the inmates were fed.

-Gozo Citadel’s Cathedral

The Cathedral of the Assumption is within the Citadel walls and has a museum as well. Tickets allow you to see both (entrance is not included in the main tickets to the Citadel). The Cathedral was built around the year 1700 on the location of a former Roman temple, Byzantine church, and mosque, as each island conqueror changed the religion celebrated in the structure to their own.

Ta’Kola Windmill

On Gozo, the Ta’Kola Windmill is just a short walk from Ggantija Temples (a megalithic structure on Gozo built around 6000 years ago – see the other post on megalithic structures in Malta for more). It shows how the windmill was used and repaired during its many years of use (from 1725 to the 1980s). During war years when fuel for other machines was lacking, the windmill was used instead.  You can tour the workshops, and the living quarters and go to the top to see where grain was milled. When the last miller died, it was turned into the museum you can see now.

Ta’Pinu Basilica

Also known as the Church of Miracles, the Ta’ Pinu Basilica, was built in the 1500s.   Beautiful modern mosaics outside show the life of Christ and there are more traditional mosaics and artwork inside. Across the street is a beautiful Way of the Cross path with many sculptures.

Salt Pans

Gozo’s coastline has hundreds of salt pans where salt still is harvested naturally. The pans are cut out of the rock and stretch for several kilometers on a lovely walk along a road. In other areas around the island, you will find a smaller number of salt pans as well. The area is spectacular in its own right, and the pans reflecting the sky only add to the beauty.