Manikata
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Manikata is a small village in the limits of Mellieħa in the northwestern part of Malta. It oversees the farming areas in the valley between il-Ballut and il-Manikata. Population 539, Families 170.
Geographical coordinates are 35° 56' 24" North, 14° 21' 12" East.
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[edit] Farming
The main industry of Manikata is farming. The valleys around this village are rich in produce. All year round the fields are tended and the produce is enjoyed by many. Grapes, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, melons (bettiegħ) , water melons (dulliegħ), apples, oranges, pomigranits (rummien), strawberries and many other crops are commonly seen in the fields.
[edit] The Church of St. Joseph
The Old Chapel of St. Joseph was built in 1920, when there were only twelve families living in Manikata. A number of people from this tiny village helped to build this chapel. Locals recall how the soft, honey-coloured stone was brought from Qasam Barrani quarry, while stronger stone, for the arches was brought from quarries in the north of Mosta. But with the growth of Manikata to over five hundred people the chapel of St. Joseph, which seated only 100, became too small for the religious needs of the locals.
In 1961, it was decided to build a new and larger church, the rector Fr. Manwel Grima approached architect Edwin England Sant Fournier to prepare a design for the new church. However, shortly afterwards Edwin handed over the job to his son Richard England. The building of the new church of Manikata faced a numerous problems. In 1962 the first stone was laid by Archbishop Sir Michael Gonzi, but after the death of Fr. Grima the church remained half built for five years. Finally Manikata’s new church was finished and blessed on 29 November 1974 by Archbishop Sir Michael Gonzi, more than ten years after he officially had laid the first stone.
The architect Richard England, who built the church took his inspiration from the "girna" which one sometimes sees in the middle of a field, a small stone building put up by farmers to store in it their implements.
[edit] Surroundings
[edit] Beaches
[edit] Ghajn Tuffieha Bay
Literally translates into the "Eye of the Apple". It is located just east of Golden Bay, one of three bays (Gnejna Bay, Ghajn Tuffieha & Golden Bay) carved out of the cliffs. It is situated a the bottom of Wied tal-Pwales (Pwales stream.) The sea is deep blue and aquamarine water interspersed with emerald and white stretches of sand.
[edit] Golden Bay
Golden Bay (Il-Mixquqa) is another one of the few sandy beaches located on the southern coast of Malta. The sand at the edge of the water at this bay is peppered with small pebbles and reaching the water can be tricky. The water here can be quite rough at times. As you swim away from the beach, the currents can be quite strong. This is one of the best places for sunsets on the Maltese islands. The water shimmers as the sun hits the horizon. The Golden Sands Hotel is perched on the cliff on the western side of the bay.
[edit] Historical Structures
[edit] Bronze Age Defensive Walls
In the north-east of the Manikata church there is a medium barren land called Tal-Qargħa. This land contains a number of archaeological remains mainly cart-ruts, old quarry and walls built of large stones. In the land there is a girna and in the west of the structure there is a wall some 8 metres long and in it there are five large stones. Parallel to this wall there is another wall, which has six large stones. On top of the hill there is another wall and it there are three large stones, the largest one is 0.75m length and 0.6m breath. Apart from this wall there are another two built from large stones. It seems that during the Bronze Age period in this area there was a prehistoric village and it was defended by several walls against their enemies. The idea of building a village on a hill and surround it by a defensive wall is a typical characteristic of the Bronze Age Period, Borġ in-Nadur. This site has evidence of hut foundations and has the longest defensive wall of the Bronze Age Period. Borġ in-Nadur wall is the best preserved prehistoric fortification in Malta.
[edit] Pillbox
A pillbox can be found built in Manikata at the rear of Ghajn Tuffieha Camp. Pillboxes were the last type of fortification to be built in Mellieħa and Malta. These types of military structures were constructed in nearly every part of the Island. It seems that the largest number of pillboxes was built in Mellieħa and fortunately the largest number of them survived to this day. The first building programme of pillboxes occurred in 1935.
[edit] Manikata Main Roads
- Triq il-Knisja l-Qadima (Old Church Road)
- Triq il-Manikata (Manikata Road)
- Triq il-Mejjiesa
- Triq il-Mellieħa (Mellieha Road)
[edit] Ghajn Tuffieha Tower
Built in 1637, at the top of the cliffs at the western edge of Ghajn Tuffieha Bay. During the Middle Ages il-Mahras maintained a watch-post in Ghajn Tuffieha, probably in the same site were the tower was built. This is one of the seven towers built by Grand Master Lascaris, during the times of the Knights of Malta. This tower has a longish shape and the ground floor room is larger than the second floor one. It was armed with ½-pdr cannon and was manned by four men, a captain and three men.
[edit] Military Camps
On the outskirts of Manikata there were two military camps in the 1960's. One was home to Royal Malta Artillery and the other was a British Army camp which hosted many different regiments including the Royal Marines. These army camps are no longer active.
[edit] References
