Marsaskala
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| Marsaskala | |
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| Inhabitants' name: | Ta' Marsaskala, Ta' Wied il-Għajn |
| Other names: | Marsascala, Wied il-Għajn, M'Skala, M'Scala |
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| Latitude: | 35°51 '45" N |
| Longitude: | 14°34 '3" E |
| Population total: | 9,298 (Nov 2005) |
| Borders: | Marsaxlokk, Żabbar, Żejtun |
| Patron saint: | St. Anne |
| Day of festa: | Last Sunday of July |
Marsaskala (also called Marsascala or Wied il-Għajn[1]) is a modest sea-side village in Malta that has grown up around the small harbour at the head of Marsaskala Bay, a long narrow inlet also known as Marsaskala Creek. The bay is sheltered to the north by Żonqor Point, the east corner of Malta, and to the south by the headland of Il-Ħamrija.
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[edit] About
The village extends along both sides of the bay, and across most of Il-Hamrija, locally nicknamed Siberia due to its exposure to icy northerly winds in winter and because buildings there are deemed to be too cut off from the centre of the village and church area. Marsaskala boasts a rather modern church, and a very pleasant promenade of shops, restaurants and coffee shops along the long stretch of waterfront.
The shore north of Żonqor Point is of low cliffs, with shelving rock ledges south of the point. Marsaskala Bay is largely edged by promenade, with low shelving rock ledges cut with salt pans on the seaward face of Il-Hamrija, which continue on round the eastern point and into St Thomas Bay to the south.
Though not endowed with much in the way of sandy beaches, the environment is ideal for scuba diving and snorkelling, and the town boasts at least two diving schools.
The parish church is dedicated to St. Anne and St Anne's feast is celebrated in the end of July in Marsaskala.
The town has a population of 9,298 people (Nov 2005).
[edit] Local Politics
Marsaskala has its own local council, and the 2006 Maltese local councils elections returned an interesting result and problems which the PN (Nationalist Party) government faced. Ex PN MP Josie Muscat )representing G.I.M. Grupp Indipendenti Marsaskala was elected as the only independent candidate in all the local councils along with two for A.D. (Alternattiva Demokratika) in a highly politicised scene dominated by the P.N. and the M.L.P. (Malta Labour Party).
[edit] Derivation of the Name
The name Marsascala is derived from Marsaskala. Different opinions exist regarding the origin of the name Marsaskala. While it is commonly agreed that Marsa is an Arabic word meaning bay, Skala has given rise to different interpretations. It could have been derived from Sqalli (Sicilian) for Marsaskala was frequented by Sicilian fishermen since Malta is just 60 miles south from Sicily. Maybe it was derived from the Sicilian 'Piccola Cala' meaning little inlet or it was just a reference to some rock-cut steps on the water's edge. (Skala also means a straight flight of steps). Marsaskala is also known as Wied il-Għajn by the Maltese as the bay and the old small village are flanked by two valleys, through which a spring of fresh water used to flow down into the innermost bay. Wied means valley and Għajn (pronounced ayn) refers to the spring of fresh water. Literally, Wied il-Għajn means Valley of the Spring.
[edit] History
Man inhabited this area thousands of years ago as evidenced by the several archaeological remains found in various areas of Marsaskala. Its Pre-history is normally divided in the Neolithic period and the Bronze Age. Some of the most ancient remains at Marsaskala are undoubtedly the cart-ruts, which are parallel channels formed in the rock face. Some of Malta's cart-ruts, mysteriously, lead straight into the sea. Difficulties and uncertainties still abound as regards their use as well as the time and the way they were made, though it seems that they served to transport heavy burdens from one place to another.
Early Christian catacombs as well as Roman era villa remains, were also discovered in Marsaskala, the latter suggesting that Marsaskala was also a Roman port. Remains of Roman Baths were found in a field at il-Gżira, a rock peninsula behind the Jerma Palace Hotel.
The still standing magnificent St Thomas Tower was built by the Knights Hospitaller (The Knights Of St John) soon after an attack on the south of Malta by 60 Turkish ships carrying 6000 soldiers, landing in Marsaskala in 1614. This brought back fear and terrifying memories of the 1565 Great Siege of Malta by the Ottoman Turks. Marsaskala's vulnerability to sea borne attacks was thus seen to by the building of this fortified tower by Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt. Other fortified towers still exist, notably Mamo Tower and the De Redin watch tower.
[edit] Marsaskala Main Roads
- Triq Agius (Agius Street)
- Triq Ħaż-Żabbar (Zabbar Road)
- Triq il-Blajjiet
- Triq il-Miġbħa
- Triq il-Qaliet
- Triq is-Salini (Salina Street)
- Triq ix-Xatt (Marina Street)
- Triq iż-Żonqor (Zonqor Road)
- Triq La Sengle (La Sengle Street)
- Triq Sant' Anna (St Anne Street)
- Triq Sant' Antnin (Marsaskala By-Pass)
- Triq Tal-Gardiel (Tal-Gardiel Road)
- Triq Wignacourt (Wignacourt Street)
[edit] External Sites
[edit] References
- ^ Marsascala.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-14.
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