
Naxxar ( mt, In-Naxxar) is a small city in the
Northern Region of
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 ...
, with a population of 14,891 people as of March 2014. The Naxxar Church is dedicated to
Our Lady of Victories. The annual village feast is celebrated on 8 September. Naxxar was formerly known for hosting the Maltese International Trade Fair at
Maltese International Trade Fair Grounds.
Naxxar is spread over an area of .
Zones in Naxxar
The whole locality comprises the following zones:
* Naxxar Centre
* Sgħajtar Area
* Santa Marija tax-Xagħra
* San Pawl tat-Tarġa
* Birguma
*
Magħtab
Magħtab is a village in Naxxar, 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 co ...
*
Salina
*
Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq
*
Madliena (partly)
Etymology

According to legend and the
Bible
The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts o ...
, the ''Naxxarin'' were amongst the first to help
Saint Paul
Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
and his fellow shipwrecked passengers when their ship ran aground. For this reason many connect the name Naxxar with Nassar (Nasra) which means 'conversion to Christianity'.
The name might alternatively be derived from the Maltese verb "Naxar", which means to hang up clothes. Others insist that the name comes from "Nsara" or "Nazaroei" which means 'those who believe in the teachings of Christ who came from Nazareth and thus "Nozri"'. Others say that the word Naxxar means 'one who saws, separates or cuts' – it might be worth mentioning that in Naxxar there are a lot of stonemasons. Magri, in his book says that the word naxar comes from "nazar" which in Hebrew means "chosen for him" or else "one who keeps to himself". This is because in the vicinity the Arabs had formed a village that they called Hal Muselmiet, which means 'the village of the Muslims'. For this reason the Christians started another village – that of the Christians and so the name of Naxxar.
Although it has never been clearly explained where the name Naxxar originated, it is a clear fact that there is a close tie with the tradition that the people of Naxxar were the first converts to Christianity. In fact, the parish of Naxxar was the first in the Maltese outskirts, after that of the cathedral (Mdina) and that of
Vittoriosa. This is borne out and further evidenced by the village motto – ''Prior Credidi'' – meaning the First To Believe.
History
It is not clear when Naxxar started to become a village, but human habitation in the area dates to the prehistoric era. This is evidenced by megalithic remains at Tal-Qadi and at Qaliet Marku. The cart ruts which start at Salina up to it-Targa and near Ghadira tal-Wej were probably first cut in the same period.
* Boissevain, Jeremy (May 2014)
''Inversione residenziale: mutamenti nell’uso dello spazio sociale a Malta'' Dialoghi Mediterranei. Istituto Euro-Arabico. (Italian)
* In 1565 the Naxxar area was also the scene of a running battle between retreating Turkish forces falling back on their fleet moored in
St Paul's Bay and Christian forces from
Mdina and the
Viceroy of Sicily; effectively the last stages of the
Great Siege of Malta
The Great Siege of Malta (Maltese: ''L-Assedju l-Kbir'') occurred in 1565 when the Ottoman Empire attempted to conquer the island of Malta, then held by the Knights Hospitaller. The siege lasted nearly four months, from 18 May to 13 Septembe ...
where the
Knights Hospitaller
The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem ( la, Ordo Fratrum Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani), commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), was a medieval and early modern Catholic military order. It was headq ...
managed to resist the forces of
Suleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman I ( ota, سليمان اول, Süleyman-ı Evvel; tr, I. Süleyman; 6 November 14946 September 1566), commonly known as Suleiman the Magnificent in the West and Suleiman the Lawgiver ( ota, قانونى سلطان سليمان, Ḳ ...
.
Education
The
Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary School Giovanni may refer to:
* Giovanni (name), an Italian male given name and surname
* Giovanni (meteorology), a Web interface for users to analyze NASA's gridded data
* ''Don Giovanni'', a 1787 opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, based on the legend of ...
, a post-secondary state school, is located in Naxxar. GCHSS is offering academic courses at advanced, intermediate and ordinary levels. Located right next to the post-secondary school is Naxxar Middle School, a secondary school.
The Parish Church

The Naxxar parish church was one of the ten parishes found to be existing by Bishop De Mello in 1436 and the villages of
Mosta and
Għargħur were subject to it. De Mello listed it as one of the ten parishes of Malta and it was the first parish dedicated to Our Lady after that of the old cathedral in
Mdina. In 1575, the parish of Naxxar had under its control a total of 36 churches – 14 in Naxxar, 5 in Għargħur, 12 in Mosta and 5 in the neighbourhood of these villages. The present church was built between 1616 and 1630 when there were 1,200 inhabitants in Naxxar and it was felt that a larger church was needed. The design was made by
Tumas Dingli
Tommaso Dingli ( mt, Tumas Dingli, 22 December 1591 – 28 January 1666) was a Maltese architect and sculptor. One of the last Renaissance architects on the island, he designed several parish churches, most notably those of Attard and Birkirkar ...
, one of the best architects of the time. The parish priest was Father
Gakbu Pace. The choir and the area around it was redesigned in 1691 to the design of
Lorenzo Gafà, the same architect who had designed the
Mdina cathedral
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Paul ( mt, Il-Katidral Metropolitan ta' San Pawl), commonly known as St Paul's Cathedral or the Mdina Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Mdina, Malta, dedicated to St. Paul the Apostle. The cathedra ...
. The parish church was solemnly consecrated by Bishop
Alpheran de Bussan on 11 December 1732.

The church has three choirs: the renowned Jubilate Deo choir under the direction of
Christopher Muscat
Christopher is the English version of a Europe-wide name derived from the Greek name Χριστόφορος (''Christophoros'' or '' Christoforos''). The constituent parts are Χριστός (''Christós''), "Christ" or "Anointed", and φέρει ...
, its sister children's choir Pueri Cantores Jubilate Deo handled by Daniela Callus and Kor Gaudete In Domino directed by Mario Attard. The church also has two transepts and a nave and is long. The width of the transept is and the nave . The large bell was made by the founder Toni Tanti in 1840 and cost. The façade of the church has two clocks, one showing the actual time whilst the other is a painting and shows the time as a quarter to eleven.
The main painting shows the Birth of Our Lady which is attributed to the school of
Mattia Preti whilst at the side there are two paintings by
Stefano Erardi which show the
Flight to Egypt and the
Adoration of the Magi. Other paintings which show the
Madonna and Child, St. Cajetan, St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Our Saviour and Our Lady of Sorrows are the works of the Maltese painter
Franġisku Zahra. In the sacristy hangs the antique painting showing Our Lady of the Rosary which was painted on wood by Gio Maria Abela in 1595.
The main door, which is made of bronze, is dated to 1913 and is the work of Pio Cellini. The door is made up of four main panels depicting the coat of arms of Our Lady, Patroness of Naxxar; the village coat of arms; the coat of arms of
Pope Pius X
Pope Pius X ( it, Pio X; born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto; 2 June 1835 – 20 August 1914) was head of the Catholic Church from 4 August 1903 to his death in August 1914. Pius X is known for vigorously opposing modernist interpretations of ...
and the coat of arms of the Zammit family who were the benefactors of this door. In 1952, this door was dismantled, renovated and cleaned by the blacksmith Mastru Lucens Agius. The expenses involved were once more paid for by the Zammit family.
The statue of the Vitorja, whose feast is celebrated on 8 September, was imported from Rome whilst the statues of the Good Friday Procession are the work of a Maltese craftsman. Naxxar was one of the first villages which had the statues of the Passion of Our Lord and in fact it is believed that the procession started being held just after 1750. On 9 November 1787, the body of the martyr St. Vittorio was brought from the cemetery of St. Calepodio of Rome and is found in the altar in the choir. Some of the sculptures and façades were made by Angelo Quatromanni.
Chapels
In the larger Naxxar area, there are various chapels. These include the chapel of the
Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception is the belief that the Virgin Mary was free of original sin from the moment of her conception.
It is one of the four Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church, meaning that it is held to be a divinely revealed truth wh ...
which was built in the 18th Century; St Lucy's chapel; the chapel of the Shipwreck of St. Paul situated at San Pawl tat-Tarġa; Church of the Nativity of
St. John the Baptist
John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...
; the chapel of
St. James the Apostle; Santa Maria tax-Xagħra; the Assumption of the Virgin in Magħtab which was built in the 18th Century; the
Annunciation of the Virgin at Salina which was built in the 16th Century; the church of
St. Michael the Archangel in Salina; that of
St. John the Evangelist
John the Evangelist ( grc-gre, Ἰωάννης, Iōánnēs; Aramaic: ܝܘܚܢܢ; Ge'ez: ዮሐንስ; ar, يوحنا الإنجيلي, la, Ioannes, he, יוחנן cop, ⲓⲱⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ or ⲓⲱ̅ⲁ) is the name traditionally given t ...
and that of St. Mary of the Angels in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq.
Fortifications
The actual area where Naxxar is built offers a natural shelter to its inhabitants. In fact, in early times the village was used to reconnoitre the movements of the enemy. Because this height has a plain which goes right down to the sea, we find that three forms of defence were built through the ages – those along the sea such as
towers, entrenchments,
batteries
Battery most often refers to:
* Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power
* Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact
Battery may also refer to:
Energy source
*Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...
,
redoubt
A redoubt (historically redout) is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on earthworks, although some are constructed of stone or brick. It is meant to protect sold ...
s and beachposts – as a physical resistance to those attempting to land from the sea; inland defences like
pillboxes – to hinder the advance of the enemy if they were successful in landing; and the fortifications on high ground.
Some fortifications around Naxxar include:
*
Gauci Tower, a 16th-century tower
*
Captain's Tower, a 16th-century tower
*
Għallis Tower
Għallis Tower ( mt, Torri tal-Għallis), originally known as ''Torre delle Saline'', is a small watchtower in Salina, limits of Naxxar, Malta. It was completed in 1658 as the second of the De Redin towers. Today, the tower is in fair conditi ...
, a 17th-century coastal tower
*
Saint Mark's Tower, a 17th-century coastal tower
*
Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq Redoubt
Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq Redoubt ( mt, Ridott ta' Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq) is a redoubt in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, limits of Naxxar, Malta. It was built in 1715–1716 by the Order of Saint John as one of a series of coastal fortifications around the Malt ...
, an 18th-century coastal redoubt
*
Ximenes Redoubt, an 18th-century coastal redoubt
*
Naxxar Entrenchment, an 18th-century inland entrenchment
*
Victoria Lines, a 19th-century defensive line
*Reserve Post R15, a 20th-century pillbox
Notable residences
Palazzo Parisio
Palazzo Parisio in Naxxar was built by Grandmaster
Manoel de Vilhena
Manuel may refer to:
People
* Manuel (name)
* Manuel (Fawlty Towers), a fictional character from the sitcom ''Fawlty Towers''
* Charlie Manuel, manager of the Philadelphia Phillies
* Manuel I Komnenos, emperor of the Byzantine Empire
* M ...
in the 18th century. The palace was used by the Jesuit community as a university. After buying the property in 1898, Marquis Scicluna altered it into its present state and purchased more land at the back, converting it into a garden, between 1898 and 1906.
Palazzo Nasciaro
Palazzo Nasciaro
Palazzo Nasciaro is an 18th-century townhouse in Naxxar (Casal Nasciaro), Malta, built during the Order of St. John. The townhouse was originally built as a family home, but has undergone adaptive reuse several times to fit the changing needs of ...
is an 18th-century palace built during the
Order of St. John that saw different
adaptive reuse
Adaptive reuse refers to the process of reusing an existing building for a purpose other than which it was originally built or designed for. It is also known as recycling and conversion. Adaptive reuse is an effective strategy for optimizing the ...
throughout the years. It is a prime example of late
baroque architecture in Naxxar. Throughout its history, it was the residence of architect
Francesco Sammut
Francesco, the Italian (and original) version of the personal name "Francis", is the most common given name among males in Italy. Notable persons with that name include:
People with the given name Francesco
* Francesco I (disambiguation), seve ...
and later of his son Giovanni Sammut, it was the Lieutenant's house in the north of Malta, later served as the first public school in Naxxar, it was the police headquarters and until recently a police station, it served as a maternity
underground hospital An underground hospital is a hospital that is constructed underground to protect patients and staff from attack during war. They were often used during World War II but very few now remain operational.
History
Medieval
Ceppo Hospital of Pistoia ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
and provided shelter for the community from the war bombardments. Today, it is a private residence.
Hompesch Hunting Lodge
Hompesch Hunting Lodge
Hompesch Hunting Lodge, also known as ''Id-Dar tal-Kaċċa'' ( en, The Hunting Lodge), is an 18th-century hunting lodge in Naxxar, Malta. It is a traditional Maltese historic building with a vernacular architecture. The hunting lodge was built ...
was a hunting lodge built by Grandmaster Hompesch close to
Gauci Tower and
Captain's Tower. Today it is in a dilapidated state.
Villa Castro

Villa Castro, formerly
Palazzo Castro
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence, or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome whi ...
, is a Knights-period country residence which has been renovated and developed for modern housing in the 21st century.
The outer gardens were demolished and developed into other surrounding buildings along the years.
Notable people
*
Mary Spiteri, former Eurovision Song Contest participant, finished in third place in ESC 1992
*
Claudette Pace, former Eurovision Song Contest participant and politician
*
Saviour Pirotta, children's author, now a British citizen living in the UK
*
Toni Bajada
Toni Bajada was a Maltese spy for the Knights of Saint John during the Great Siege of Malta. He was born in Naxxar.
Siege of Malta
The most famous of the Maltese spies, Bajada is said to have learned the Turkish language during years of captivit ...
, legendary Maltese hero from the 16th century
Twin towns – sister cities
Naxxar is
twinned
Twinning (making a twin of) may refer to:
* In biology and agriculture, producing two offspring (i.e., twins) at a time, or having a tendency to do so;
* Twin towns and sister cities, towns and cities involved in town twinning
* Twinning inst ...
with:
*
Baveno, Italy
*
Cicciano
Cicciano is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Naples in the Italian region Campania, located about 30 km northeast of Naples.
Cicciano borders the following municipalities: Camposano, Comiziano, Nola, Roccarainola, Tuf ...
, Italy
*
Aigrefeuille, France
References
External links
Naxxar Local Council
{{Authority control
Towns in Malta
Local councils of Malta