Mġarr ix-Xini
Mġarr ix-Xini is a gorge on the island of Gozo in the Maltese archipelago. It flows from the sea into a small bay.
location and size
The gorge has a length of around 400 m and an average width of around 50 m. Mgarr ix-Xini is located southeast of the Gozitan town of Xewkija . The bay is about 3 km from the town center. At the end of the bay there is an almost 2 km long canyon (Wied Hazira) towards Xewkija.
Importance for tourism
The bay is mainly popular with locals and divers. There is no public transport that goes to Mgarr ix-Xini. Big buses are not able to reach Mgarr ix-Xini, so it is largely insignificant for mass tourism. The bay can therefore only be reached by car, two-wheeler or on foot. On the Ta Cenc cliff at the western end of the bay, there are sun terraces and a small bar of a nearby luxury hotel. The hotel guests only use a branch of the gorge.
In the water there is an area separated by a rope that is reserved for swimmers and divers. In the summer of 2017, this area was monitored by a lifeguard for the first time. During the summer months, the Mġarr ix-Xini is also a popular destination for boat owners from the Maltese main island, who anchor there, picnic and spend the weekend. The rush is so great that there is hardly an anchorage left in the narrow canyon. The garbage that arises leaves clear traces on the seabed.
The Mġarr ix-Xini was also an important location for the 2014 film By the Sea by Angelina Jolie , which actually takes place in the south of France. For the film, a French bistro was built on the beach and a hotel at the entrance to the bay, which were demolished after the shooting ended.
environment
Mġarr ix-Xini has been identified as a marine protected area as part of a project by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA). A total of 18,000 hectares of underwater areas in Gozo and Malta are to be protected as part of this project . Another project is the Mġarr ix-Xini Regional Park. This project is based on resolutions of the municipal councils of Xewkija and Sannat . The aim with this project is to preserve the natural and cultural uniqueness of the landscape. The water quality has improved in and around Mġarr ix-Xini since a sewage treatment plant was built in nearby Ras il Hobs a few years ago. The cost of the project in 2008 was 7.2 million euros. The EU contributed 3 million euros in financial aid for the construction.
geology
Geologically, the Mġarr ix-Xini and the subsequent Wied Hazira are very interesting. Mġarr ix-Xini lies on two fault lines. The first and larger fault line runs in a north-westerly direction towards the village of Sannat . It has a length of about 2 km. According to other sources, this fault line could lead to the village of Xlendi and would therefore be around 5 km long. The structure is linear and is visible on the surface. the second fault line runs from Mġarr ix-Xini in a north-easterly direction to the village of Qala . The cause is crust movements that arose in earlier years.
The two fault lines around Mġarr ix-Xini are marked in red
Flora and fauna
The area around Mġarr ix-Xini has a special vegetation. Due to the stony subsoil, the strong winds and the long and intense exposure to sunlight, plants grow here, some of which are very rare. Examples of this are the national plant of Malta Cheirolophus crassifolius and the awl broom ( Spartium junceum ), which is the only species in the genus Spartium . The awl broom, despite its name, does not belong to the genus of the genista . Another special feature is the wild occurrence of aloe vera . Probably the rarest plant is the shrubby catchwort ( Silene fruticosa ). The shrubby catchwort is extremely rare in all of Europe. Populations are only known in Sicily, Gozo, and Greece. In addition, the island's typical vegetation such as figs ( Ficus carica ), prickly pear cacti ( opuntia ) and capers ( Capparis spinosa ) can be found. The area from Mġarr ix-Xini to the cliff Ta'Cenc is an important breeding place for birds. For the barn owl ( Tyto alba ) this is one of the last breeding places in the Maltese archipelago. The species is almost extinct on the islands.
Awl broom
Fig with fruits
Typical vegetation
Capparis spinosa
Marine life
Underwater, the Mġarr ix-Xini canyon is mainly covered with sand and seagrass meadows. Accordingly, an adapted animal world can be found here. The floor slopes slowly and gently. The shallow part of the bay is offset with small pieces of rock to a depth of about 4 m. The bay then turns into sandy soil to the end of the gorge. At the end of the gorge there is a small branch on the right. At a depth of around 15 m, the sandy soil changes into huge Posidonia fields. At the exit of the bay, the Posidonia meadows turn back into sandy soil from a depth of about 35 m . Due to the remote location of the gorge and the shallow depths, occurrences of pelagic fish are extremely rare.
There are two small underwater caves on the western side of the bay. Here, too, you will find a specialized underwater flora and fauna. The most common representatives of the fish family are the common lizardfish Synodus saurus , the common weever ( Trachinus draco ) and the ray whore ( Trachinus radiatus ), the wide-eyed butt ( Bothus podas ), and the golden welt ( Sarpa salpa ). The lizardfish and the weever (both species) look very similar. The behavior is also almost identical. Both the lizardfish and the weever lie passively on the sandy bottom or are buried. They show no escape behavior for a long time. Trachinus draco and Trachinus radiatus are able to use the five to seven spiny rays of the first dorsal fin and a thorn on the gill cover when threatened. The sting rays and the thorn are poisonous and can cause severe pain, fever and nausea. The lizard fish is harmless. The main difference between the two types is visually mainly in the head area. The weever has a massive head with its mouth pointing upwards. The lizardfish has a narrower pointed head. Another common representative of poisonous fish in the Mgarr ix-Xini is the scorpion fish family ( Scorpaenidae ). They also have twelve poisonous sting rays that can cause severe pain on contact. The scorpion fish also show an escape behavior very late. Among the cephalopods, the sepia ( Sepia officinalis ) and octopuses ( Octopus vulgaris , Octopus salutii and Octopus macropus ) can be found. The screw table ( Sabella spallanzanii ) and the peacock feather worm ( Sabella pavonina ) live in this habitat . In the darker areas of the caves you can find snake and starfish, as well as different types of crustaceans. The noble pen shell ( Pinna nobilis ) lives between the seagrass meadows . It is the largest mussel species in the Mediterranean and reaches a maximum size of 90 cm. Unfortunately, due to its decorative size and beauty, this species has been severely decimated by foraging divers throughout the Mediterranean in recent years. Mġarr ix-Xini offers ideal conditions for seahorses ( Hippocampus spec.) In the seagrass meadows and the algae-covered walls . A few years ago, as part of an environmental project, seahorses were released in M undarr ix-Xini and Xlendi Bay . The pipefish ( Syngnathus acus ) and the grass needle ( Syngnathus typhle ) are closely related to the seahorse . Both types can be found here.
The flying cock ( Dactylopterus volitans ) and the large barrel snail ( Tonna galea ) are special features of this habitat . It is the largest snail in the Mediterranean and can reach a size of 25 cm. Different types of rays live on the sandy bottom .
sepia
sepia
Octopus vulgaris hidden behind algae
Wide-eyed butter
Shell of a pen shell
Housing of a barrel snail
The stinging light jellyfish
Seahorse
Scorpion fish
history
For several centuries Gozo was the victim of attacks by Turkish and North African corsairs . In 1551 the corsair Dragut ( Turgut Reis ) invaded Gozo to avenge the death of his brother, who was killed in a raid on Gozo. Dragut anchored his ships in the bay of Mġarr ix-Xini. In this retaliation, almost the entire population of Gozo was brought into slavery. The bay later served as a galley port for the Order of Malta's fleet .
In 1661 the Mġarr ix-Xini Tower was built according to a plan by the engineer Mederico Blondel . The tower is part of an extension of the coastal fortifications that were built under Grand Master Martin de Redin . There are a total of 13 watchtowers that bear the name Redin Towers . The Mġarr ix-Xini Tower is the only representative of the Redin Towers to have only one entrance, which was accessible via a drawbridge. From then on it served to protect the bay. The fortification was equipped with artillery. Another task of the tower was to communicate with the Comino Tower and the Santa Cecilja Tower . According to records in old documents, several weapons fell from the tower into the sea. Despite underwater searches by research divers, the weapons have not yet been found. The records may be incorrect. The fortification was renovated in 2000. The area in and around Mġarr ix-Xini is the target of local excavations every year. In recent years, finds and structural remains from different eras have been found. 15 ancient wine presses that are dated to around 500 BC have so far been discovered as special features. In the underwater archeology , the area around Mġarr ix-Xini also plays a major role. Maltese divers have found clues and finds several times in the area between Mġarr ix-Xini and Xatt l'Ahmar . The finds are usually very deep or difficult to locate. Under the assumption that the bay of Mġarr ix-Xini was visited by many ships as a natural harbor during storms, in recent years sonar and divers have been used to search for the remains of wrecks. However, this search has so far been unsuccessful.
Model of an order galley
Drawing of a rowable chebeck of the order
The Mġarr ix-Xini Tower
View from the gorge to the defense tower
literature
- Hans Christian Weber, Bernd Kendzior: Flora of the Maltese Islands. A field guide . Markgraf Publ. Weikersheim 2006, ISBN 3-8236-1478-9 .
- Matthias Bergbauer, Bernd Humberg, Monika Weymann: What lives in the Mediterranean? A guide book for divers and snorkelers (Kosmos nature guides). Franckh- Kosmos Verlag, Stuttgart 2009, ISBN 978-3-440-11736-1 .
- Lawson Wood: Sea Fishes and Invertebrates of the Maltese Islands and the Mediterranean Sea. New Holland Books, London 2002, ISBN 1-84330-104-0 .
- Claus Valentin: Fascinating underwater world of the Mediterranean. Insights into the marine biology of coastal habitats . Parey, Hamburg 1986, ISBN 3-490-12018-3 .
- Arnd Rödiger: diving guide Malta. With Gozo and Comino; a vacation guide for all water sports enthusiasts . 3rd edition Naglschmidt, Stuttgart 1994, ISBN 3-927913-75-8 .
- Helmut and Barbara Corneli: Diving Paradise Mediterranean. Stürtz, Würzburg 1993, ISBN 3-8003-0478-3 .
- Ernle Bradford : The Shield of Europe. The fight of the Knights of Malta against the Turks in 1565 (“The great siege”, 1976). Ullstein, Frankfurt / M. 1992, ISBN 3-548-34912-9 (unchanged reprint of the Berlin 1976 edition).
Web links
- xewkija.gov.mt
- eco-gozo.com
- gozo4you.ch
- ghajnsielem.com
- timesofmalta.com
- scribd.com
- shadowservices.com
- mepa.org.mt
- luirig.altervista.org
Individual evidence
- ↑ Underwater mess. Retrieved June 26, 2018 .
- ↑ Malta as a film set: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in Gozo. Retrieved June 26, 2018 .
- ↑ eco-gozo.com
- ↑ xewkija.gov.mt ( Memento of the original from February 16, 2012 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.
- ↑ maltamedia.com
- ↑ shadowservices.com
- ↑ luirig.altervista.org
- ↑ Berbauer, Humberg: What lives in the Mediterranean? Franckh- Kosmos Verlag, Stuttgart 2009.
- ^ Lawson Wood: Sea Fishes and Invertebrates of the Maltese Islands and the Mediterranean Sea. 2002.
- ↑ Ernle Bradford: The Shield of Europe - the fight of the Knights of Malta against the Turks in 1565 . Universitas-Verlag, Berlin 1976.
- ^ Mgarr ix-Xini. In: www.ghajnsielem.com. 2014, accessed April 11, 2020 .
- ↑ xewkija.gov.mt ( Memento of the original from February 16, 2012 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.
- ↑ timesofmalta.com
- ↑ scribd.com
Coordinates: 36 ° 1 ′ 8 ″ N , 14 ° 16 ′ 23 ″ E