Għajnsielem (Maltese pronunciation: [ɐɪ̯nˈsɪːlɛm]; meaning "Spring of Sielem") is a municipality on the southeastern coast of the island of Gozo in Malta, including the entire island of Comino. It has a population of 3,200 residents (as of March 2014),[1] and is the first Gozitan village that greets the visitor on leaving Mġarr Harbour towards the Gozitan heartland. Its name originated from the water spring, around which in 1700, Grandmaster Perellos built an arcade containing public wash basins and fresh water spouts. Attractions include Lourdes Chapel with its sharp steeple and underlying niche of Our Lady of Lourdes, Fort Chambray and the towering of Ghajnsielem Parish Church.
Għajnsielem | |
|---|---|
 Għajnsielem parish church | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
| Motto: Spring of Peace | |
 | |
| Coordinates: 36°1′37″N 14°17′25″E / 36.02694°N 14.29028°E | |
| Country |  Malta |
| Region |  Gozo Region |
| District | Gozo and Comino District |
| Borders | Nadur, Qala, Sannat, Xewkija |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Kevin Cauchi (PN) |
| Area | |
• Total | 7.2 km2 (2.8 sq mi) |
| Population (Jan. 2019) | |
• Total | 2,931 |
| • Density | 410/km2 (1,100/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Għajnsilmiż (m), Għajnsilmiża (f), Għajnsilmiżi (pl) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | GSM |
| Dialing code | 356 |
| ISO 3166 code | MT-13 |
| Patron saint | Our Lady of Loreto |
| Website | Official website |
Village Motto and Coat of Arms
editThe Latin motto of Ghajnsielem is Ob fontem prosperitas, that is Flourishing because of a spring – Nistaghna b’nixxiegha ilma. The springs in the area were the magnet that attracted the first inhabitants that eventually led to the prosperity of the place.
Places
editThe following is a list of prominent places, buildings and structures in the village.[2][3]
- Mġarr Harbour
- Fort Chambray
- Lourdes Chapel and Lourdes Home
- Our Lady of Loreto Parish Church
- Apparation Square
- St Anthony's Church
- Mġarr ix-Xini Tower
- Comino
- Old Parish Church
- Imrejżbiet and Tal-Qiegħan Temples
- Santa Cecilia Tower and Chapel
- Niches around Ghajnsielem
- Borġ Għarib
- The Fougasse
- Garzes Tower (demolished)
- Belvederes
- Gozo Heritage (closed)
- Xatt l-Aħmar
Band Clubs
edit- St. Joseph Band Club (L-Għaqda Mużikali San Ġużepp)
Football Clubs
editZones in Għajnsielem
edit- Borġ l-Għarib
- Fort Chambray
- Ġnien Miġiaro
- Iċ-Ċens
- Il-Gudja
- Mġarr Port
- Mġarr Valley
- Imrejżbiet
- Rdum it-Tafal
- Ta' Briegħen
- Ta' Cordina
- Ta' Kusbejja
- Taħt il-Belt
- Tal-Palma
- Xatt l-Aħmar
- Żewwieqa
Għajnsielem Main Roads
edit- Pjazza Indipendenza (Independence Square)
- Pjazza Loreto (Loreto Square)
- Triq Borġ Għarib (Borg Gharib Road)
- Triq il-Fawwara
- Triq il-Ġnien (Garden Street)
- Triq il-Ħamri
- Triq il-Qala (Qala Road)
- Triq in-Nadur (Nadur Road)
- Triq ix-Xatt (Strand Street)
- Triq iż-Żewwieqa
- Triq l-Imġarr (Mġarr Road)
- Triq Sant' Antnin (St Anthony Road)
Twin towns – sister cities
editGħajnsielem is twinned with:[4][5]
Bethlehem, Palestine
Tolfa, Italy
Portet-sur-Garonne, France
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Estimated Population by Locality 31st March, 2014". Government of Malta. 16 May 2014. Archived from the original on 21 June 2015.
- ^ Caruana, Joseph (2011). "Toponomi t'Għajnsielem (1)" (PDF). L-Imnara. 9 (4). Rivista tal-Għaqda Maltija tal-Folklor: 187–189. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 April 2016.
- ^ Caruana, Joseph (2012). "Toponomi t'Għajnsielem (2)" (PDF). L-Imnara. 10 (1). Rivista tal-Għaqda Maltija tal-Folklor: 43–45. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 April 2016.
- ^ "Twinning". localgovernment.gov.mt. Government of Malta. Archived from the original on 1 April 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ "Għajnsielem". bethlehem-city.org. Bethlehem. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
External links
edit