Historical and Cultural Heritage
Clapham Junction
Għar il-Kbir Cave Complex
Wardija San Ġorġ
Dingli Radar
St. Mary Magdalene Chapel
Clapham Junction
Clapham Junction is home to the densest intensity of cart ruts in the Maltese Islands, a stone’s throw away from Dingli Cliffs. Cart-ruts are pairs of parallel rock-cut channels, with a constant width of 1.4m, and depth of 10 to 60cm. The age and purpose of the cart ruts is still a mystery, but could possibly date back to 2000BC. Probably, they were man-made for the transport of goods or for irrigation. By far the most extravagant idea is that they served as launching runways for alien space crafts!!
Għar il-Kbir Cave Complex
One of the best-known sites for troglodytic habitation is Għar il-Kbir, a complex of eight caves very close to Dingli Cliffs, commanding impressive views over Buskett woodland and Verdala Palace within. It is still unknown when the first human settlement occurred, but most probably there is a long history. In the mid-16th century, troglodytes were established with over 117 people calling Għar il-Kbir their home!! Today, plenty of evidence of human habitation abounds in this cave complex.
Wardija San Ġorġ
At the promontory of Ġebel Ċiantar, which offers one of the best viewpoints of Dingli Cliffs, lies the remains of a Bronze Age fortified settlement. Of the cyclopean wall fortification, made of huge limestone boulders roughly fitted together, only a few stones survive to this day. Behind the wall, 15 rock-cut silo pits attest to the storage of grain.
Dingli Radar
The Dingli Radar, just 100m from The Cliffs, is the most prominent landmark of Dingli Cliffs. The first Radar structure was mounted in 1939 by the British RAF to plot high-flying aircraft during the fight for control of Malta in the Second World War. Today, what the locals call “golf ball”, still caters for navigational transmissions and air traffic services.
St. Mary Magdalene Chapel
The Chapel of Saint Mary Magdalene, at the edge of the cliffs offers picturesque photo opportunities of Dingli Cliffs. Dating back to 1646, this small simple chapel was used as a point of reference for fishermen at sea. In the past, mass at the chapel was held on the 22nd of July, the day of the feast of St. Mary Magdalene – a tradition which still persists to this day!
Triq Panoramika,
Dingli