Inland Sea (Gozo)
The Inland Sea ( Maltese Il-Qawra , German the Inland Sea ) is a naturally formed salt water lake in the west of the Maltese island of Gozo , which is connected to the Mediterranean via a tunnel .
Emergence
The cliffs around Dwejra Point consist of coral and globigerine limestone ( Lower Coralline Limestone ), the hardest and oldest rock on the island. It was formed around 24 million years ago and is around 130 meters thick. The lake, like some other geological structures in the area, was probably formed by the collapse of a cave in the Miocene . The hollow that was created here, about 30 meters deep, was then filled with seawater. The hollow has an extension of about 250 meters, of which the lake occupies about 125 meters at its widest point. The approximately 100 meter long tunnel in the approximately 40 meter high wall was gradually enlarged by erosion.
location
From San Lawrenz you can reach the lake via a road that is signposted in the direction of the former Azure Window . This ends at a parking lot, the lake is located about 150 meters east of the former Azure Windows, in between is the small church Chapel of St. Anne , built in 1963 . Local fishermen have built their huts around the lake, several jetties lead into the lake, and the beach is rocky. The entrance to the tunnel from the sea side is called Ghar iz-Zerqa (blue cave) because of the deep blue water in front of and inside .
tourism
Together with the Azure Window , which collapsed in 2017 , the Dwejra Tower , the Blue Hole and the Fungus Rock , the lake is one of the main attractions of Gozo. Especially day tourists from Malta can easily reach this place by bus, all local attractions are within walking distance . Around 750,000 tourists visit this place every year, so it can be very crowded in summer. You can swim, snorkel and dive in the lake and in the tunnel.
The local fishermen offer boat trips from the pier on the lake through the Inland Sea Tunnel to Fungus Rock when the weather is calm . The Luzzu boats typical of Malta are used here. These trips represent an important source of income for the fishermen. The lake, the tunnel and the surrounding Mediterranean Sea is one of the most popular diving areas on the island of Gozo.
panorama
Individual evidence
- ↑ John J. Borg: The Geology of Dwejra, Gozo , summary by JM Falzon, A. Falzon ( Memento of February 12, 2015 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ a b San Lawrenz: Dwejra ( Memento of the original of November 10, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ UNESCO World Heritage Center, Qawra / Dwejra
- ↑ Simon Gaul, 2007: Malta Gozo & Comino, 4th Edition, New Holland Publishers
- ↑ Dwejra - A Coastal Nature Park (pdf; 52 kB)
- ↑ Maltese Tourist Information: Inland Sea, small salt water lake, Gozo Attractions, Malta attractions
Coordinates: 36 ° 3 ′ 14 ″ N , 14 ° 11 ′ 28 ″ E