Ġgantija Temples in Gozo is the most popular Heritage Malta site, according to information tabled recently in Parliament, and the Unesco world heritage site has topped a list of 21 historical attractions for the past three years.

Data released for 2014 shows that last year 177,603 people visited the archaeological remains in Xagħra, which date back to the period between 3600 BC and 3200 BC.

Detailed statistics on the three-year period from 2012 and 2014 were released by Culture Minister Owen Bonnici in reply to a parliamentary question by Nationalist MP Antoine Borg.

This prehistoric site is attracting even more visitors than the total number of tourists who spend at least one night on the sister island. From a separate reply given to Mr Borg, this time by Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis, it emerged that last year 153,000 foreigners spent one night in Gozo.

However, former Heritage Malta board member Anthony Bonanno who lectures in archaeology at the University of Malta was not surprised with these findings.

“Ġgantija’s very good state of preservation makes is the most spectacular archaeological site of its nature in the Maltese Islands,” he said.

Prof. Bonanno added that its popularity was also due to the fact that the prehistoric temples featured in practically every day tour organised in Gozo.

Ġgantija’s success contrasts sharply with that of other Heritage Malta sites in Gozo which have made little inroads among visitors. Last year the National Science Museum in Victoria was the least popular site attracting just 4,400 visitors, followed by the Folklore Museum and the Archaeology Museum also in the Gozitan capital.

In the period under review the total number of people who visited the Heritage Malta sites was little more than 1.1 million per year.

Most popular*

Ġgantija - 177,603
Palace State Rooms - 160,380
Ħaġar Qim - 120,903
Palace Armoury - 108,517
Mnajdra - 84,431

*Source: Parliamentary Question 13,414

Least popular*

National Science Museum Gozo - 4,412
Folklore Museum Gozo - 7,546
Archaeology Museum Gozo - 11,869
Ta’ Kola Windmill Gozo - 17,271
Old Prisons Gozo - 19,393

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