Ancient temples saved by protective shelters

prospective

The new visitor centre addresses the long-felt need for better interpretation, to make the site more meaningful and accessible to all audiences.Dr Reuben Grima, Senior Curator, Prehistoric Sites Department, Heritage MaltaLocated on Malta’s southern coast, these temples make up two of the six on the island registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List and directly managed by Heritage Malta. A new visitor centre has also been set up nearby.Tall tentsSeparated by some 500 metres, the limestone temples of Hagar Qim and Mnajdra date back to the period 3600-3200 BC. Since their excavation in 1839 and 1840, they have attracted thousands of visitors – who marvel at their neatly arranged massive stones and walls. They are the first stone buildings of such architectural complexity, anywhere in the world, and feature on the UNESCO World Heritage List for their outstanding universal value to present and future generations.In recent years they have suffered from deterioration and structural problems arising mainly from exposure to rain, fluctuations in temperature and relative humidity, solar radiation, pollution, and so on. These were the conclusions of a Scientific Committee set up in 2000. Consequently it was proposed to protect the temples with temporary shelters, an idea endorsed by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.Careful consideration was given to the shelters’ design, including the experience of other countries with similar geographical and climatic conditions. In the end, Maltese experts opted for huge open-sided tents with steel arches and fabric. The Hagar Qim tent is over 11.5 metres high.Erection of the shelters started in 2008, under an EU co-funded project covering almost two-thirds of the total costs. The shelters are designed to last for the next 25 to 30 years. Meanwhile work will continue on consolidating the temples, as well as research to identify long-term alternatives to sheltering.Part of the project also involves establishment of a visitor’s centre. Work on this began in April 2007.Conservation is keyThe new shelters are seen as a vital interim measure for preserving the sites from further deterioration. Visitors benefit too, because they can now walk around the temples without being exposed to the elements.People’s experience of the sites is also significantly enhanced through interpretation on offer at the new visitor centre. The future of Hagar Qim and Mnajdra seems assured for decades to come, which is good news for Malta’s heritage and tourists.