Republic of Malta. It has a permanent population of only two residents, following the deaths of two other residents in 2017 and 2020.
Buildings and structures
St Mary's Tower
Saint Mary's Tower is the most visible structure on the island. Its background dates back to 1416, when the
Maltese petitioned their king,
Alfonso V of Aragon, to build a tower on Comino to serve as an early warning system in case of invasion, and to deter marauding Turks, pirates, smugglers and
corsairs from using Comino as a hiding place and staging ground for devastating sorties onto the sister islands of Malta and Gozo. Two years later the king levied a special tax on imported wine to raise funds for this project, but diverted the monies into his coffers; the island remained undefended for another two hundred years.
Finally, in 1618 the
Knights of Malta
The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), officially the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta ( it, Sovrano Militare Ordine Ospedaliero di San Giovanni di Gerusalemme, di Rodi e di Malta; ...
under
Grandmaster Wignacourt erected St Mary's Tower (Maltese: ''it-Torri ta' Santa Marija''), located roughly in the center of the southern coast of the island. The tower formed part of a chain of defensive towers — the
Wignacourt,
Lascaris
The Laskaris or Lascaris ( el, Λάσκαρις, later Λάσκαρης) family was a Byzantine Greek noble family whose members formed the ruling dynasty of the Empire of Nicaea from 1204 to 1261 and remained among the senior nobility up to the d ...
, and
De Redin towers
The De Redin Towers ( mt, Torrijiet ta' De Redin) are a series of small coastal watchtowers built in Malta by the Order of Saint John between 1658 and 1659. Thirteen towers were built around the coast of mainland Malta, eight of which still surv ...
— located at vantage points along the coastline of the Maltese Islands, and greatly improved communications between Malta and Gozo. The tower is a large, square building with four corner turrets, located about
above sea level
Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as ''orthometric heights''.
The comb ...
. The Tower itself is about tall, with walls that are approximately thick, and it is raised on a platform and plinth that are approximately high.
During the
French Blockade (1798–1800), St Mary's Tower served as a prison for suspected spies. In 1829 the
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
Military abandoned the site. For several decades it was deemed to be property of the local civil authorities, and may have been used as an isolation hospital, or even as a wintering pen for farm animals.
The tower again saw active service during both
World War I and
World War II. Since 1982 the tower has been the property of the
Armed Forces of Malta. It now serves as a lookout and staging post to guard against
contraband and the
illegal hunting
Poaching has been defined as the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights.
Poaching was once performed by impoverished peasants for subsistence purposes and to supplement meager diets. It was set a ...
of
migratory birds at sea. The tower underwent extensive restoration between 2002 and 2004. Today, it remains the most notable structure on Comino.
Comino chapel
A chapel dedicated to the Assumption of St Mary existed in the proximity of the Bay of St Mary since at least 1296. Indeed, it was this chapel which gave the bay its name and not opposite.
A
Roman Catholic chapel dedicated to the
Holy Family Upon its Return from Egypt is located above Santa Marija Bay. Built in 1618, and enlarged in 1667 and again in 1716, the chapel was originally dedicated to the
Annunciation
The Annunciation (from Latin '), also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Annunciation of Our Lady, or the Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the biblical tale of the announcement by the ange ...
. It has been deconsecrated and reconsecrated at least once in its history, when Comino was devoid of residents. The earliest record of a chapel on this site dates back to the 12th century, and can be seen in a navigational map of the period, located in the
National Maritime Museum and
Royal Observatory in
Greenwich,
London.
In the past, and well into the 20th century, whenever the seas were too rough for the Gozitan priest to make the crossing to Comino for the celebration of
Holy Mass, the local community would gather on the rocks at a part of the Island known as ''Tal-Ħmara'', and gaze across the channel towards the Chapel of Our Lady of the Rocks (Maltese: ''il-Madonna tal-Blat''), in Ħondoq ir-Rummien, Gozo, where Mass was being celebrated. They followed along with the progression of the Mass by means of a complex flag code.
Saint Mary's Battery and Redoubt
Saint Mary's Battery, built in 1716, at the same time as various other batteries around the coastline of mainland Malta and Gozo, is situated facing the South Comino Channel. It is a semi-circular structure with a number of embrasures facing the sea. The Battery still houses two 24-pound iron
cannon
A cannon is a large-caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder during ...
, and remains in a fair state of preservation mainly due to its remote location. Its armament originally included four 6-pound iron cannon. The Battery underwent restoration in 1996 by ''
Din l-Art Ħelwa
() is a non-governmental and non-profit, voluntary organisation founded in 1965 by Maltese Judge Maurice Caruana Curran to safeguard Malta's cultural heritage and natural environment. Since its foundation, Din l-Art Ħelwa has restored numerous ...
''.
Saint Mary's Redoubt, an additional defensive structure, was also constructed in 1716 on the northern coast of Comino, however it was subsequently demolished. The Knights also constructed army barracks on Comino. In the early 20th century the barracks were periodically used as an isolation hospital.
Contemporary structures
The ''Comino Hotel'' was built in the 1960s above San Niklaw Bay. There are also holiday bungalows by the Santa Marija Bay. The hotel is being rebuilt by Hili Ventures Ltd (run by Melo Hili) with an investment of €120m and set to be completed in 2023. The project is for the 100-room Comino Hotel to be demolished and replaced by a 70-room hotel and 19 bungalows. The
environmental impact assessment of the project noted the negative impact of extraction of rock and soil from the site, and the loss of habitat in both sites due to the change in location and the increased number of building, further encroaching on the surrounding
garrigue
Garrigue or garigue ( ), also known as phrygana ( el, φρύγανα , n. pl.), is a type of low scrubland ecoregion and plant community in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome.
It is found on limestone soils in southern Fran ...
. The project has yet to receive full planning and environmental permission. Hotel and bungalow village are expected to open by 2025.
The
Comino Police Station is located between the bungalows and the Comino Chapel. It is responsible for the small community and visitors, aided by the
Malta Police Force
The Malta Police Force ( mt, Il-Korp tal-Pulizija ta’ Malta) is the national police force of the Republic of Malta. It falls under the responsibility of the Ministry for Home Affairs, Security, Reforms & Equality and its objectives are set ou ...
in Malta and Gozo when necessary.
Transport
Ferries provide transportation to Comino from either
Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
or
Gozo
Gozo (, ), Maltese: ''Għawdex'' () and in antiquity known as Gaulos ( xpu, 𐤂𐤅𐤋, ; grc, Γαῦλος, Gaúlos), is an island in the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Republic of Malta. After ...
, with scheduled boat trips departing from
Cirkewwa or
Mġarr
Mġarr ( mt, L-Imġarr), formerly known as ''Mgiarro'', is a village in the Northern Region of Malta. Mġarr is a typical rural village situated in an isolated region, west of Mosta. It is surrounded with rich farmland and vineyards. Many of it ...
. Schedules vary by season. Providers offer boat taxi service from Blue Lagoon, Comino back to the mainlines as well as tours of the Santa Maria Caves in Comino.
Economy
Impact of tourism
Between Comino and adjacent islet of
Cominotto
Cominotto ( mt, Kemmunett), sometimes referred to as ''Cominetto'', is an uninhabited Mediterranean island off the northern coast of Malta. Measuring only in area, it is the largest uninhabited island of Malta. Cominotto lies to the north-west ...
(Maltese: ''Kemmunett'') lie the transparent,
cyan waters of the Blue Lagoon (Maltese: ''Bejn il-Kmiemen'', literally "Between the Cominos"). Frequented by large numbers of tourists and tour boats daily, the Blue Lagoon is a picturesque bay with a white sandy base and rich marine life. It is popular with divers,
snorkelers and swimmers. Other beaches on Comino include Santa Maria Bay (Maltese: ''Ramla ta' Santa Marija'') and St. Nicholas Bay (Maltese: ''Bajja San Niklaw'').
The touristic over-exploitation of Comino, and in particular of the Blue Lagoon, became a matter of contention in the late 2010s. Despite regulations, at least seven illegal kiosks have sprung up on the coastline; none of them has a permit from the Malta Tourism Authority, and they are permanently parked on the spot, while they should be left on wheels and removed every day.
Operators have also started deploying deckchairs and umbrellas in the Blue Lagoon sandy beach as early as 7 AM, filling up all public space. Cruise liners bringing hundreds of tourists on the spot are leading to a strong environmental impact (with loud music and trash left on the spot, attracting rats) and creeping privatisation of the former natural hotspot, while providing no upkeep of the bay.
Commercial interests and political connections have fostered the touristic exploitation of Comino. The deck-chair rentals at the Blue Lagoon are owned by Daniel Refalo, an associate of construction tycoon
Joseph Portelli, and by Mark Cutajar, brother of Labour MEP
Josianne Cutajar and former canvasser for Gozo Minister
Clint Camilleri
Clint Camilleri (February 24, 1988) is a Maltese politician, architect and civil engineer, currently serving as Minister for Gozo in the Prime Minister Robert Abela's cabinet of 2020. Among the youngest members of cabinet, Camilleri previously ...
in 2022, are the two individuals who own the deckchair rental operations on Comino’s Blue Lagoon.
Back in 2016, Refalo and Cutajar claimed that they were being scapegoated, and that "the chaos that now exists in the Blue Lagoon... is part of a larger and deeper problem facing Maltese tourism". Pleasure and Leisure Ltd, one of the companies running daily ferries to Comino under the brand Oh Yeah Malta, is owned by the father and uncles of Tourism Minister
Clayton Bartolo from nearby
Mellieħa. One of the kiosks, ''tal-Ekxa'', is run by Victor Refalo, a former Labour local councillor from
Żebbuġ, Gozo
Żebbuġ ( mt, Iż-Żebbuġ) is an administrative unit of Malta, in the northwest coast of the island of Gozo. It is located close to Għarb and Għasri and is built on two hilltop plateaus, Ta' Abram and Ix-Xagħra taż-Żebbuġ. The fishing po ...
and canvasser of Gozo Minister
Clint Camilleri
Clint Camilleri (February 24, 1988) is a Maltese politician, architect and civil engineer, currently serving as Minister for Gozo in the Prime Minister Robert Abela's cabinet of 2020. Among the youngest members of cabinet, Camilleri previously ...
.
In early 2021, with the pretext of emergency procedures to prevent the road from caving in, the Gozo Ministry conducted illegal works to install a service culverts with manholes to pass utility services along the dirt road to the Blue Lagoon. According to the ministry, the culvert would eliminate the use of electricity generators, while denying that fixed kiosks were being planned for Blue Lagoon. Environmental activists including Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) is an international network of environmental organizations in 73 countries. The organization was founded in 1969 in San Francisco by David Brower, Donald Aitken and Gary Soucie after Brower's split with ...
Malta noted that the works, later greenlighted by the Environment Resources Authority, had an impact on the natural surroundings, with excavation on trenches and widening of the track, and accused the authorities to attempt to legitimise illegal commercial activity. The works were welcomed by the illegal kiosk owners, including Refalo.[ The Labour Party organising secretary, architect William Lewis, also applied to install a wooden walkway over the ]garrigue
Garrigue or garigue ( ), also known as phrygana ( el, φρύγανα , n. pl.), is a type of low scrubland ecoregion and plant community in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome.
It is found on limestone soils in southern Fran ...
terrain leading to the kiosks and the Blue Lagoon; a permit is pending.[
Malta's Moviment Graffitti has denounced the over-development and touristification, also conducting direct actions to remove the illegal deck-chairs and umbrellas in June and August 2022.] Graffitti called for a master plan for Comino that would limit activity on the island as well as set defined areas for operators.[
]
Cinema industry
Comino is a popular location
In geography, location or place are used to denote a region (point, line, or area) on Earth's surface or elsewhere. The term ''location'' generally implies a higher degree of certainty than ''place'', the latter often indicating an entity with an ...
for filmmakers. It appears in the feature films ''Troy
Troy ( el, Τροία and Latin: Troia, Hittite: 𒋫𒊒𒄿𒊭 ''Truwiša'') or Ilion ( el, Ίλιον and Latin: Ilium, Hittite: 𒃾𒇻𒊭 ''Wiluša'') was an ancient city located at Hisarlik in present-day Turkey, south-west of Çan ...
'', ''The Count of Monte Cristo
''The Count of Monte Cristo'' (french: Le Comte de Monte-Cristo) is an adventure novel written by French author Alexandre Dumas (''père'') completed in 1844. It is one of the author's more popular works, along with ''The Three Musketeers''. Li ...
'' (in which St. Mary's Tower is featured as the prison fortress Château d'If) and '' Swept Away''.
References
Further reading
* Bartolo, Evarist (2013)
X' taf fuq Kemuna?
''Għaqda Mużikali Imperial'' mperial Band Club Magazine pp. 138–139. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
HMS Sultan disaster
* Gossett, William Patrick (1986). ''The Lost Ships of the Royal Navy, 1793–1900''. (London: Mansell). .
External links
Gozo Comino Ferry
Dive sites in Comino
Comino
– Travel guide on MaltaUncovered.com
– Photos on UnitedCominoFerries.com
{{Authority control
Għajnsielem
Important Bird Areas of Malta
Islands of Malta