Qawra (, ) is a zone within

St. Paul's Bay Saint Paul's Bay () is a town located on the northeast coast of Malta in the Northern Region. It is a major residential and commercial area and a centre for shopping, bars, dining, and café life. As per the 2021 population census, it has also ...

in the Northern Region, Malta. Located close to

Buġibba Buġibba (English pronunciation: ) is a zone within St. Paul's Bay in the Northern Region, Malta. Situated adjacent to Qawra, it is a popular tourist resort, containing numerous hotels, restaurants, pubs, archit clubs, and a casino. History Duri ...

and Salina, it is a popular tourist resort, containing many hotels and restaurants. Around 1638, the

Order of St. John The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), is a Catholic military order. It was founded in the crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century and had headquarters there u ...

built

Qawra Tower Qawra Tower (), also known as Qawra Point Tower () or Fra Ben Tower (), is a small watchtower in Qawra, limits of St. Paul's Bay, Malta. It was completed in 1638 as the fourth of the Lascaris towers. An artillery battery was built around the t ...

at Qawra Point, as part of a series of fortifications defending Malta's coastline. A

battery Battery or batterie 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 * Battery indicator, a device whic ...

was built around it in 1715, while an entrenchment wall was added in the 1760s. Today, the tower and battery are a restaurant, and parts of the entrenchment can still be seen. The town is home to many water-sport activities, including banana boat, speed boat and jetski rides, as well as kayaking, snorkeling and diving. The area is also well known as the "touristy" area of Malta due to the many bars which show British football. Summer temperatures can be as hot as , with an average of over . Casinos, bars, and clubs are also a major part of this small town. Many people swim and bathe off the rocks, which provide ample space for sun bathing. It is popular with tourists who like to walk by the sea at night.

Parish

The parochial church of Qawra is dedicated to

St Francis of Assisi Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone ( 1181 – 3 October 1226), known as Francis of Assisi, was an Italian mystic, poet and Catholic friar who founded the religious order of the Franciscans. Inspired to lead a Christian life of poverty, he ...

. The parish incorporates both Qawra and the neighbouring locality of Bugibba in its geographical area. The parish feast is celebrated on 17 September which commemorates the impression of the

stigmata Stigmata (, plural of , 'mark, spot, brand'), in Roman Catholicism, Catholicism, are bodily wounds, scars and pain which appear in locations corresponding to the Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion Five Holy Wounds, wounds of Jesus in Christian ...

on Saint Francis. The church in Qawra began functioning as a parish on 8 December 2004 and the first parish priest was Fr. Ġorġ Zammit, OFM conv. The architect of the church building was Richard England. It is a modern-style church, unlike the Latin cross style in most other parishes in Malta.

Sightseeing

The main attractions in Qawra include: *

Malta National Aquarium The Malta National Aquarium (''Akkwarju Nazzjonali ta' Malta'' in Maltese) is the largest aquarium in Malta. It is located in Qawra, in the northern part of the island of Malta, and it hosts more than 175 different species of various animals, in ...

Malta Classic Car Museum The Malta Classic Car Museum is a museum on the island state of Malta. The Classic Car Collection was created by Mr. Carol Galea, a car enthusiast. He became interested in classic cars after customising and building cars for local hillclimbing ra ...

Buġibba Temple Buġibba Temple is a Megalithic Temples of Malta, megalithic temple on the border of Buġibba and Qawra towns, limits of St. Paul's Bay, Malta. A hotel was built on the grounds of the temple. Site The temple is located a short distance from the ...

is located on the border of Qawra and Buġibba

References

{{Authority control Towns in Malta St. Paul's Bay