Gozo is known as the island of the three hills, but new research has shown that there are least 31 hills on the tiny island.

Research carried out by Anthony Grech, a history and Maltese teacher, shows that Malta’s sister island is the site of many flat-topped hills and hillocks, with valleys in-between.

Mr Grech, who is also a professional photographer, has collected all his photographs and findings in a book, Gozo: The Island of Hills, which he will launch on Friday.

I found 31, but there were many that vanished over the years

He told the Times of Malta he first started working on the project two years ago, setting out to discover more about the hills of Gozo and beginning with one question: is there a list of Gozo’s hills? He did not find any anywhere.

“Since I was a young boy, we have always been told that Gozo is the island of the three hills, and it is still known as such today. But different maps I came across in my professional career showed that there were many more.

“Through Planning Authority survey sheets dating back to 1966, I studied contour lines and began mapping Gozo’s hills. I found 31, but there were many that vanished over the years,” he said.

Ħotba tal-Veċċa

He explained how the first reference to Gozo as the island of the three hills goes back to a 13th-century compasso da navigare.

The three hills was always the description given by sailors when looking at Gozo from the sea: the Citadel in the middle, the Xagħra Nadur hill on one side and Żebbuġ on the other.

According to Mr Grech’s res-earch, Gozo has five inhabited and 10 uninhabited hills and 16 hillocks. They give Gozo the unique landscape it boasts today.

The book, which Mr Grech wrote and designed himself, delves into history, geography, and linguistics, with explanations of how place names were derived, as well as Gozitan culture.

“I hope that this book will raise more awareness of what we’ve got and maybe get the authorities to preserve what there is before further erosion,” he said.

The book will not be available in bookshops. It may be ordered for €30 by e-mail from grech.anthony@gmail.com.

Gelmus

Dabrani

Il-Merżuq (Salvatur)

Anthony Grech, a teacher and professional photographer, has collected his photographs and findings in the book Gozo: The Island of Hills, which probes Gozitan history, geography, linguistics and culture. Pictured here are the Citadel and Il-Ħarrax from Ta’ Kuljat.