A 400-metre path, €600,000 and two-and-a half years of work

The pathway connecting Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra temples is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of this year, more than two-and-a-half years since the works began.

Works on the 400-metre route around the historic site are expected to cost taxpayers circa €600,000.

A Heritage Malta spokesperson confirmed the figure of the costs but said the final costs would only be confirmed upon completion.

The spokesperson said the project “extends far beyond the replacement of a footpath”, noting the infrastructure will accommodate emergency services, transport that accommodates visitors with mobility issues, as well as provisions for firefighting and future services.

Heritage Malta said the long-standing works were necessary since it is located within a Natura 2000 area and inside a buffer zone of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This requires archaeological monitoring, restricted machinery use, and protective measures such as geotextiles to preserve the terrain.

“These safeguards are essential to protect the archaeological and natural landscape and inevitably influence project timelines,” the spokesperson said.

The works are being carried out by a private contractor under the supervision of the Heritage Malta in-house team.

Terminated contract 

Back in 2023, Times of Malta reported that Heritage Malta terminated a contractors contract over poor quality work.

It then sought other contractors, which contributed to the extended timeline. Originally, Heritage Malta said the walkway was meant to be completed by that same year.

Meanwhile, sources told Times of Malta that elderly visitors are having trouble with the temporary walkway currently in place. They pointed to gaps in the wooden floorboard, meaning anyone who requires a wheelchair or a mobility scooter cannot use this footpath.

A Heritage Malta spokesperson, however, said it did not receive reports of significant safety or accessibility issues relating to the structure, nor have such concerns been recorded through the site’s visitor feedback channels.

Walkway project saga

The original walkway was built in the early 1960s. Most of the limestone slabs have been broken down, and sections of the surrounding walls have failed structurally, resulting in a potential collapse.

Times of Malta first reported on this project back in April 2023. Heritage Malta had just announced its plans to upgrade and widen the footpath, aiming to improve safety and allow access to ambulances and firefighters in case of emergency.

Heritage Malta said it had faced emergencies in the past where ambulances could not reach visitors needing medical assistance at Mnajdra due to the narrow path. Fire services vehicles were also unable to access the site on a separate occasion.

The new walkway is designed to make the footpath wider, without needing to extend the structure outside its existing path. This meant that each side of the walkway had to be made 35cm longer. This was done by adding a cantilever, which required a reinforced concrete slab to be used for support.

Meanwhile, when the works on the footpath started to circulate online, environmental NGO Din l-Art Ħelwa questioned whether the material of concrete would be fitting considering the environment and heritage value of the area.

In 2024, 180,782 paying visitors went to Ħaġar Qim temples, and 128,172 visited Mnajdra, according to Heritage Malta’s 2024 annual report.