Gharb
Encyclopedia
Għarb is a village located at the westernmost point of the island of Gozo
, Malta
, with a population of 1,160 people (Nov 2005). It started life as a small hamlet centuries ago. You can see its ancient roots in the centre of the village where some houses have fine examples of decorated stone balconies. Għarb was created as a parish in 1679, a move which gave impetus for the building of a new, baroque parish church. Built between 1699 and 1729, it has an elegant facade which has been compared with Francesco Borromini
's Church of Saint Agnes in Piazza Navona
, Rome
. The village square, so quintessentially Gozitan, has become the view on many a postcard. On the square is a fascinating folklore museum housing all sorts of memorabilia retelling the Islands' rural history. Għarb lies in some of Gozo's most scenic countryside, particularly at Dbiegi, the highest hill on the Island. Also at Dbiegi is a centre for Gozitan crafts. Within the limits of Għarb is the Chapel of San Dimitri. According to legend, the first chapel was built on the cliff side by a woman whose son was freed from captivity by St. Demetrius. Also nearby is the Basilica ta' Pinu, Malta's pre-eminent shrine to the Virgin Mary. It was on this spot in 1883 that a local woman heard the voice of the Virgin. The parish
church is dedicated to the visitation of Saint Mary to her cousin Saint Elizabeth
. The late Karmni Grima
and Frenc Tal-Gharb
are two of its most renowned villagers.
Gozo
Gozo is a small island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Southern European country of Malta; after the island of Malta itself, it is the second-largest island in the archipelago...
, Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, with a population of 1,160 people (Nov 2005). It started life as a small hamlet centuries ago. You can see its ancient roots in the centre of the village where some houses have fine examples of decorated stone balconies. Għarb was created as a parish in 1679, a move which gave impetus for the building of a new, baroque parish church. Built between 1699 and 1729, it has an elegant facade which has been compared with Francesco Borromini
Francesco Borromini
Francesco Borromini, byname of Francesco Castelli was an architect from Ticino who, with his contemporaries, Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Pietro da Cortona, was a leading figure in the emergence of Roman Baroque architecture.A keen student of the architecture of Michelangelo and the ruins of...
's Church of Saint Agnes in Piazza Navona
Piazza Navona
Piazza Navona is a city square in Rome, Italy. It is built on the site of the Stadium of Domitian, built in 1st century AD, and follows the form of the open space of the stadium. The ancient Romans came there to watch the agones , and hence it was known as 'Circus Agonalis'...
, Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. The village square, so quintessentially Gozitan, has become the view on many a postcard. On the square is a fascinating folklore museum housing all sorts of memorabilia retelling the Islands' rural history. Għarb lies in some of Gozo's most scenic countryside, particularly at Dbiegi, the highest hill on the Island. Also at Dbiegi is a centre for Gozitan crafts. Within the limits of Għarb is the Chapel of San Dimitri. According to legend, the first chapel was built on the cliff side by a woman whose son was freed from captivity by St. Demetrius. Also nearby is the Basilica ta' Pinu, Malta's pre-eminent shrine to the Virgin Mary. It was on this spot in 1883 that a local woman heard the voice of the Virgin. The parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
church is dedicated to the visitation of Saint Mary to her cousin Saint Elizabeth
Saint Elizabeth
Saint Elizabeth may refer to:* Saint Elizabeth , the mother of John the Baptist* Saint Elisabeth of Hungary * Saint Elizabeth of Portugal * Saint Elizabeth of Reute...
. The late Karmni Grima
Karmni Grima
Karmni Grima was a Maltese peasant whose mystical religious experience led to the construction of the church of Our Lady of Ta' Pinu.Karmni Grima was born in the village of Għarb in Gozo, the sister island of Malta...
and Frenc Tal-Gharb
Frenc Tal-Gharb
Francis Xavier Mercieca, known as Frenc tal-Gharb, was born in Għarb Gozo on the 3 December 1892. His parents, Salvu Mercieca and Beneditta née Mercieca, reared a family of twelve children...
are two of its most renowned villagers.
Zones in Għarb
- Birbuba
- Ħodba
- Il-Wileġ
- San Katald
- Ta' Lamuta
- Ta' Pinu
- Ta' Santu Pietru
- Tal-Fgura
- Taż-Żejt
- Wara l-Bjut
- Wied tal-Knisja
- Wied il-Mielah
- Ta` Hries
Local Council
The current members of the local council are:- Apap Agius David - mayor, PN
- Brooke Lisa Marie - PL
- Muscat Emanuel - PL
- Cassar Raymond - PN
- Vella Carmen - PN
Għarb Main Roads
- Pjazza taż-Żjara tal-Madonna (Visitation of Our Lady Square)
- Triq Birbuba (Birbuba Road)
- Triq Franġisk Portelli (Frances Portelli Road)
- Triq Frenċ ta' l-Għarb (Frenc of Gharb Street)
- Triq il-Knisja (Church Street)
- Triq il-Madonna tal-Virtut (Our Lady of Virtus Street)
- Triq Ta' Sdieri (Ta' Sdieri Road)
Other Streets at Għarb
- Triq il-Viżitazzjoni (Visitation Street)
- Pjazza Praga (Prague Square)
- Sqaq Franġisk Portelli Nru. 1 (Frances Portelli Alley No.1)
- Sqaq il-Fgura (Fgura Alley)
- Sqaq il-Madonna tal-Virtut Nru.1 (Our Lady of Virtus Alley No.1)
- Sqaq il-Papa Klement XIV (Pope Clement XIV Alley)
- Sqaq l-Arċipriet (Archpriest Alley)
- Triq Albert W. Ketelby (Albert W. Ketelby Street)
- Triq Dun Alwiġ Mizzi (Fr. Aloysius Mizzi Street)
- Triq Feliċ Grech (Felex Grech Street)
- Triq id-29 ta' Awissu, 1679 (29 August, 1679 Street)
- Triq il-Blata (Rock Street)
- Pjazza Gerano (Gerano Square)
- Triq it-Trux (Trux Street)
- Triq Kanonku Franġisk Mangion (Canon Frances Mangion Street)
- Triq Karmni Grima (Carmela Grima Street)
- Triq l-Arċipriet Ġamari Camilleri (Archpriest Gamari Camilleri Street)
- Triq l-Għarb (Gharb Road)
- Triq l-Isqof Mikiel Molina (Bishop Micheal Molina Street)
- Triq Mongur (Mongur Street)
- Triq Patri Albert Caruana (Bro. Albert Caruana Street)
- Triq San Dimitri (St. Dimitrius Street)
- Triq San Katald (St. Catald Street)
- Triq San Pietru (St. Peter Street)
- Triq Ta' Għammar (Ghammar Road)
- Triq Ta' Pinu (Ta' Pinu Road)
- Triq Tumas Cassar (Thomas Cassar Street)