Hagar Qim Temple

Panoramic view of Hagar Qim. Photo Chris Booth.

Hagar Qim is a fascinating archaeological site in a beautiful setting by the
Mediterranean Sea. Photo Scott Partee.

Entrance to an apse. Photo Scott Partee.

Standing stones on the exterior. Photo Scott Partee.

Temple

Doorways and stones inside the temple. Photo John Haslam.

Hagar Qim, Malta

Carved and pitted altar. Photo Glen Bowman.

Spiral Stone

Stone with pitted and spiral decoration. Photo peuplier.

The 5,000-year-old Hagar Qim ("HA-jar eem") temple is the best-preserved of several ancient limestone temples in Malta. Hagar Qim is located about 2km from the village of Qrendi in southern Malta and just a short walk from the Mnajdra temples.

History

Hagar Qim is thought to date from the "Ggantija phase," which is about 3600 to 3200 BC. Unlike most other Maltese temples, it is a single temple rather than a complex of two or three.

What to See

The temple is laid out on a clover-leaf shape and consists of four or five apses, with a forecourt and facade. This design is typical of Neolithic temples across Malta.

One noteworthy characteristic of Hagar Qim are its larger orthostats (upright stones) at the corners, which are notched to take the second of horizontal courses above.

The interior of the temple is more closed off than in other Maltese temples and the view of it seems to have been limited to porthole slabs. A stone decorated with spiral designs and a free-standing altar decorated on all sides were found here.

The right apse has an interesting inner enclosure made of low stone slabs. The left apse has three high table altars and a low-standing pillar at the end. Three steps up from the left apse lead to an additional chamber.

In the outer enclosing wall, note the first upright stone (orthostat) behind the right-hand corner of the façade—this is one of the largest of any temple, at 6.4m long and close to 20 tons in weight. Other related ruins have been uncovered near the main temple, and two "fat lady" statues discovered here are now in display in the national museum in Valetta.

Quick Facts

Site Information

Names:	Hagar Qim Temple
Location:	Qrendi, Malta Island, Malta
Category:	Temples; World Heritage Sites
Faith:	Prehistoric
Status:	ruins
Date:	3600-3200 BC
Architecture:	Neolithic

Visitor Information

Coordinates:	35.827748° N, 14.442236° E (view on Google Maps)
Website:	www.heritagemalta.org/sites/sites.html
Hours:	Daily 9am-5pm (last admission 4:30pm). Closed Dec. 24, 25, 31, Jan 1, Good Friday
Cost:	Joint ticket with Mnajdra Temples: €9 adults; €6.50 concessions; €4 children (6-11 yrs)
Photography:	Permitted
Public transport:	Bus: 32, 35
Parking:	Parking is available at the site.

Note: This information was accurate when published and we do our best to keep it updated, but details such as opening hours can change without notice. To avoid disappointment, please check with the site directly before making a special trip.

Location Map

Below is a location map and aerial view of Hagar Qim Temple. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Malta Map.

Article Sources

Article written by Holly Hayes with reference to the following sources:

Hagar Qim - Megalithic Portal
Hagar Qim - Heritage Malta
Plan of Hagar Qim - Planetware (Baedecker)

More Information

J.D. Evans, Malta (1959).
Marija Gimbutas, The Civilization of the Goddess: The World of Old Europe (1991).
Geoffrey Aquilina Ross, Blue Guide Malta and Gozo, 5th ed. (2000).
Merlin Stone, When God Was a Woman (1976).
Peg Streep, Sanctuaries of the Goddess: The Sacred Landscapes and Objects (1994).

Article last updated: 08/03/2009.