Xlendi - Historical Places

Historical Places

• Punic Tombs

Also Tombs dating Punic-Byzantine times were found in Xlendi, some at St Simon Point (under St Simon Street) and some others in Xlendi Valley. Romans used to port in Xlendi as it has features that can protect from the wind for its cliffs around the bay. In the middle of the bay there is a reef that many ships shipwrecked against it. These ships left a large number of Roman amphora on the sea bed in the mouth of the bay.

• Xlendi Tower

The tower guarding the mouth of the bay was built by the Grandmaster Juan de Lascaris-Castellar on 29 June 1650. This was built so no pirates or Turks could disembark from this bay. This tower is still standing. It has, until recently been abandoned with great damage occurring to the outer walls of the tower. Responsibility for the tower was passed in 2010 to the Local Council and Din L'Art Helwa. It is anticipated that restoration work will be commenced during 2011. The Tower was quite important for the British Army in Malta as it was the only tower in the southwest of the island. It was entitled Tower B (secondly in place) to show its importance.

• Chapels

It is strange that in Xlendi in the middle 17th century had a total of 4 chapels. These were: St Simon Chapel (St Simon Point) which also had a cemetery and when profaned, the bishop ordered that a stone cross should be carved in the rocks; St Domenica which was an underground chapel located roughly on the cliffs over the valley of Xlendi on the side of Munxar and was difficult to reach it so it was profaned soon after it was established; St Catherine was established over Xlendi on the cliffs on the side of the village of Kercem. It was built over a cliff which bears the same name. It is said that there was a small community in the areas of this chapel; 'Vizitazzjoni ta' Forn il-Gir' was not much visited by people. It was established between Munxar and Xlendi but very little is known about it. All of these chapels were profaned between the 1650s and the 1680s.

The current chapel in Xlendi is dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The front section of the building dates back to 1868; in 1969 it was enlarged at the rear. The church was dedicated in 1974. Every year, on the first Sunday of September, a feast dedicated to the patron saint, is held. In the Afternoon, water games are held at the bay with the traditional 'gostra' a greasy pole which the players have the walk on to catch a flag. In the evening a procession with the statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is held around Xlendi.

• Underground Emergency Mill

During the years 1955, the Xlendi mill was excavated into the cliffs, situated behind the Mount Carmel church. The excavation was a huge undertaking, which consisted firstly of an entrance tunnel, some 30 meters long, 2.5 meters high and 3 meters wide, leading into a large chamber. This chamber was divided into three floors and housed the storage, grinding and milling equipment. At the rear of the mill is the silo, having a storage capacity of approximately 1,000 tons of wheat, and connected to the milling machinery by mechanical augers. An 80 hp diesel engine and alternator supplied power. Entrances from above can also access the silo. The Mill was built when the Cold War was escalating when nuclear conflict was possible. This Mill was nuclear safe. But this mill was never used after built.