Xrobb l-Għaġin
{{Short description|Peninsula in southeastern Malta}}
{{Infobox peninsulas
| name = Xrobb l-Għaġin
| image = Malta - Marsaxlokk - Triq Xrobb l-Ghagin - Xrobb l-Ghagin + Marsaskala - Secca il-Munxar 02 ies.jpg
| image_name =
| image_size = 260px
| map =
| location = Marsaxlokk, Malta
| area_m2 = 155000
| length_m = 650
| width_min_m = 172
| width_max_m = 329
| width_m = 250
| coastline_m = 2169
| elevation_m = 32
| country_capital = Valletta
| timezone = UTC+1
| country = Malta
}}
{{Coord|35|50|29|N|14|34|11|E|display=title}}
Xrobb L-Għagin is an area in southeastern Malta. It is mostly known due to the nature park located inside its boundaries which goes by the same name.{{Cite web |title=Xrobb L-Għaġin Nature Park - Sustainable Living |url=https://www.xrobblghagin.org.mt/ |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=Xrobb L-Għaġin |language=en-US}} It is also home to Xrobb l-Għaġin Tower, which is a ruined De Redin watchtower.{{Citation |last=Zammit |first=Vincent |title=Malta |date=2016 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01384-8_124 |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Tourism |pages=577–578 |place=Cham |publisher=Springer International Publishing |doi=10.1007/978-3-319-01384-8_124 |isbn=978-3-319-01383-1 |access-date=2022-11-20}}{{Cite book |last=Zammit |first=Vincent |title=Il-Gran Mastri |publisher=Valletta Publishing & Promotion Co. |year=1992 |edition=1st |language=Maltese}} The peninsula was also home to a Deutsche Welle relay station (Delimara Transmitting Station) which later became the nature park main building.{{Cite web |title=Xrobb il-Ghagin |url=https://sbemalta.weebly.com/xrobb-il-ghagin.html |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=SBE MALTA |language=en}}
Xrobb l-Għaġin Temple
The temple of Xrobb l-Għaġin is also located in Xrobb l-Għaġin, it being the ruins of a Megalithic temple with its earliest remains dating to 4000BC.{{Cite web |title=Xrobb L-Ghagin Main |url=http://web.infinito.it/utenti/m/malta_mega_temples/destroy/xrobb.html |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=web.infinito.it}} As these remains are located on the rapidly deteriorating cliff-side, efforts are currently being made to restore and protect them from future erosion.{{Cite web |last=P. Borg |first=Ruben |date=2017-09-30 |title=Xrobb l-Għaġin revisited: recovery and discovery |url=https://archsoc.org.mt/xrobb-l-ghagin-revisited-recovery-and-discovery/ |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=The Archaeological Society Malta |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Bonnici |first=Owen |date=September 9, 2022 |title=Xrobb l-Għaġin and Qrendi |work=Malta Independent |url=https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2022-09-09/blogs-opinions/Xrobb-l-Ghagin-and-Qrendi-6736245763 |access-date=November 20, 2022}}{{Cite journal |last=Grima |first=Rueben |date=2010 |title=Xrobb l-Għaġin revisited: recovery and discovery |url=https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/bitstream/123456789/23414/1/MAR_10_BorgGrima.pdf |journal= Malta Archaeological Review}} Solutions including the removal of certain structures to make them accessible somewhere else have been explored.{{Cite news |date=September 6, 2022 |title=Pre-historic structures at Xrobb l-Għaġin identified |work=Malta Independent |url=https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2022-09-06/local-news/Pre-historic-structures-at-Xrobb-l-Ghagin-identified-6736245708 |access-date=November 9, 2022}} The temple complex was first identified in 1913 by Temi Zammit and Thomas Ashby,{{Cite web |title=Remains of prehistoric structure at Xrobb l-Għaġin uncovered in a project that is the first of its kind |url=https://heritagemalta.mt/news/remains-of-prehistoric-structure-at-xrobb-l-ghagin-uncovered-in-a-project-that-is-the-first-of-its-kind/ |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=Heritage Malta |language=en-US}} then being excavated between 1914 and 1915. Investigations which occurred exactly one hundred years later, in 2015 have shown that there are still significant remains of the temple.{{Cite web |title=Xrobb l-Għaġin Temple, Malta Island: Tips and Information |url=https://trek.zone/en/malta/places/643794/xrobb-l-ghagin-temple-malta-island |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=Trek Zone |language=en}} The structure followed the typical plan of other Maltese Temples containing a paved court with an inner passage leading to four apices.{{Cite web |title=Organisation Information |url=https://www.visitmalta.com/en/a/info/xrobbl-ghaginpark/ |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=Visit Malta |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Team |first=Owen Bonnici |date=2022-09-14 |title=Pre-historic structures at Xrobb l-Għaġin identified |url=https://www.owenbonnici.com/post/pre-historic-structures-at-xrobb-l-ghagin-identified |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=Owen Bonnici |language=en}}{{Cite journal |date=1915 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(00)54194-4 |journal=The Lancet |volume=186 |issue=4803 |pages=666–668 |doi=10.1016/s0140-6736(00)54194-4 |issn=0140-6736|title=British Association for the Advancement of Science. Meeting at Manchester }} The temple is oriented towards the southeast.{{Cite web |last=Laura |date=2021-09-15 |title=Xrobb l-Għaġin |url=https://www.megalithhunter.com/post/xrobb-l-għaġin |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=My Site |language=en}}
Xrobb L-Għaġin as a nature park
On a protruding peninsula, the Xrobb l-Gain Nature Park and Sustainable Development Centre spans over {{Convert|155000|m2|acre}}. The project's goal is to increase the use of renewable energy, manage wastewater, and protect biodiversity via teaching, demonstration, and research in sustainable environment solutions.{{Cite web |title=Xrobb L-Ghagin |url=https://naturetrustmalta.org/what-we-do/natural-parks/xrobb-l-ghagin/ |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=Nature Trust - FEE Malta |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Xrobb l-Għaġin Park |url=https://www.apprezza.org.mt/events/xrobb-l-ghagin-park/ |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=Apprezza |language=en-US}} A wildlife rehabilitation center was planned to be set up in the park.{{Cite web |title=Wildlife rehabilitation center being set up at Xrobb l-Għaġin Park |url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/wildlife-rehabilitation-center-being-set-up-at-xrobb-l-ghagin-park.726538 |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=Times of Malta |date=2 August 2019 |language=en-gb}} The park's main building complex also houses a hostel with around 30 beds.{{Cite web |last=Borain |first=Lisa |title=The nature park hostel you didn't know existed |url=https://www.guidememalta.com/en/the-nature-park-hostel-you-didn-t-know-existed |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=www.guidememalta.com |language=en}} As part of its environmental protection policies, Xrobb l-Għaġin was home to an oil spill response training organized by Birdlife Malta.{{Cite web |title=Xrobb l-Għaġin Archives |url=https://birdlifemalta.org/tag/xrobb-l-ghagin/ |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=BirdLife Malta |language=en-GB}}File:Malta - Marsaxlokk - Triq Xrobb l-Ghagin - Xrobb l-Ghagin 19 ies.jpg
References
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