Saint Lawrence, Malta
Encyclopedia
Saint Lawrence is a village on the Isle of Gozo
, Malta
. Its name is derived from Lawrence of Rome who is the patron saint
for the village. The natural reserve Fungus Rock
is administratively part of the town, as is the famous Azure Window
landmark.
It is built on a plain surrounded by three hills, Għammar, Gelmus and Ta' Dbieġi. The last mentioned, Ta' Dbieġi, rises 195 metres above sea level and is Gozo's highest point. In the limits of San Lawrenz there is also the splendid bay of Dwejra, renowned for its strange geological faults and admired by tourists and locals alike.
This picturesque village has succeeded in retaining its traditional and rural lifestyle. It has managed to open up to progress without sacrificing its natural beauty and those values and traditions, which form the identity of this charming village.
San Lawrenz is one of the two Gozitan localities that have taken their name from that of their patron saint. The other is the nearby hamlet of Santa Luċija, Gozo. San Lawrenz was established a parish on 15 March 1893. Before this date, the area was known as Ta' Ċangura. Most probably the site derived its name from a local family name or nickname. The date of origin of this area is not known. However the name Ta' Ċangura can be dated back to before the tragic Siege of Gozo, that is, before July 1551.
Until San Lawrenz was declared a parish in 1893, it formed part of the neighbourhood of Għarb. However as time went by the people of San Lawrenz started to form a separate community and as a result they wanted their own church. The foundation stone for this new church was laid and consecrated by the Bishop Peter Pace on 21 November 1886. The relic of Saint Lawrence was placed under this stone. Every villager participated with great enthusiasm in the building of the church.
The village feast of San Lawrenz is celebrated each year, unimaginatively in the warmest part of the Summer, namely around the first week of August.
There is one restaurant, the village shop and the local bar (run by the local football club to raise funds).
With a population of just 566 people (as of December 2008), it is the second least populated village on Gozo and third least in all of the Maltese Islands. The village's football
team is called St. Lawrence Spurs
.
The village is twinned with the following: Colle Umberto
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...
. Its name is derived from Lawrence of Rome who is the patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
for the village. The natural reserve Fungus Rock
Fungus Rock
Fungus Rock, which is colloquially known in Maltese as 'Il-Ġebla tal-Ġeneral' , is a small islet in the form of a 60 metres high massive lump of limestone at the entrance to an almost circular black lagoon in Dwejra, on the coast of Gozo, itself an island in the Maltese archipelago. Fungus Rock is...
is administratively part of the town, as is the famous Azure Window
Azure Window
The Azure Window is a natural arch in the Maltese island of Gozo featuring a table-like rock over the sea. It is situated near two other famous natural landmarks - the Inland Sea, and Dwejra Bay. The stunning geography of the area was created thousands of years ago when two limestone caves collapsed...
landmark.
It is built on a plain surrounded by three hills, Għammar, Gelmus and Ta' Dbieġi. The last mentioned, Ta' Dbieġi, rises 195 metres above sea level and is Gozo's highest point. In the limits of San Lawrenz there is also the splendid bay of Dwejra, renowned for its strange geological faults and admired by tourists and locals alike.
This picturesque village has succeeded in retaining its traditional and rural lifestyle. It has managed to open up to progress without sacrificing its natural beauty and those values and traditions, which form the identity of this charming village.
San Lawrenz is one of the two Gozitan localities that have taken their name from that of their patron saint. The other is the nearby hamlet of Santa Luċija, Gozo. San Lawrenz was established a parish on 15 March 1893. Before this date, the area was known as Ta' Ċangura. Most probably the site derived its name from a local family name or nickname. The date of origin of this area is not known. However the name Ta' Ċangura can be dated back to before the tragic Siege of Gozo, that is, before July 1551.
Until San Lawrenz was declared a parish in 1893, it formed part of the neighbourhood of Għarb. However as time went by the people of San Lawrenz started to form a separate community and as a result they wanted their own church. The foundation stone for this new church was laid and consecrated by the Bishop Peter Pace on 21 November 1886. The relic of Saint Lawrence was placed under this stone. Every villager participated with great enthusiasm in the building of the church.
The village feast of San Lawrenz is celebrated each year, unimaginatively in the warmest part of the Summer, namely around the first week of August.
There is one restaurant, the village shop and the local bar (run by the local football club to raise funds).
With a population of just 566 people (as of December 2008), it is the second least populated village on Gozo and third least in all of the Maltese Islands. The village's football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
team is called St. Lawrence Spurs
St. Lawrence Spurs F.C.
St. Lawrence Spurs Football Club is a football club based in the village of Saint Lawrence in Gozo, Malta.-History:The club was founded by local village resident and Malta Post worker Toni Formosa in 1968, it was difficult at first to put the club together as the economy in those days was low, even...
.
The village is twinned with the following: Colle Umberto
Colle Umberto
Colle Umberto is a comune in the Province of Treviso in the Italian region Veneto, located about 60 km north of Venice and about 30 km north of Treviso...
Main roads
- Pjazza San Lawrenz (St. Lawrence Square)
- Triq Ta' Ċangura (Cangura Road)
- Triq id-Duluri (Our Lady of Sorrows Road)
- Triq il-Ġebla tal-Ġeneral (Fungus Rock Road)
- Triq il-Wileġ (Open Fields Street)
- Triq San Lawrenz (St. Lawrence Road)
Other streets
- Daħlet Pawluzzu (Pauluzzu Lane)
- Pjazza Dwejra (Dwejra Square)
- Trejqa l-10 ta' Awissu (10 August Path)
- Trejqet il-Wilġa Ta' Ġidrin (Gidrin's Open Field Path)
- Triq Dun Salv Portelli (Fr. Saviour Portelli Street)
- Triq Franġisk Poetelli (Frances Portelli Street)
- Triq Għajn Abdul (Ghajn Abdul Street)
- Triq Għar Ilma (Water Cave Street)
- Triq ir-Rokon (Rokon Street)
- Triq it-Torri (Tower Street)
- Triq Nikola Monsarrat (Nicholas Monsarrat Street)
- Triq San Pietru (St. Peter Street)
- Triq ta' Bieb il-Għar (Cave's Door Street)
- Triq Wied Guno (Guno Valley Street)
- Triq Wied Merill (Merill Valley Road)