Marsascala - City of Malta

Marsascala is a modest sea-side village in Malta that has grown up around the small harbour at the head of Marsascala Bay, a long narrow inlet also known as Marsaskala Creek. The bay is sheltered to the north by Ras iz-Zonqor, the south-east corner of Malta, and to the south by the headland of Ras il-Gzira.

The name comes from the words "Marsa" and "Sqalli" .

The village extends along both sides of the bay, and across most of Il-Hamrija, a creek leading to Il-Ponta tal-Gzira.

The shore north of Ras iz-Zonqor is of low cliffs, with shelving rock ledges south of the point. Marsaskala Bay is largely edged by promenade, with low shelving rock ledges cut with salt pans on the seaward face of Ras ic-Cerna, which continue on round the eastern point, past l-Abjad iz-Zghir, and into Il-Bajja ta' San Tumas to the south.

The parish church is dedicated to Sant Anna and St Anne's feast is celebrated at the end of July in Marsascala.

The town has a winter population of 9,298 people, but this swells to around 20,000 in summer.

Man inhabited this area thousands of years ago as evidenced by the several archaeological remains found in various areas of Marsaskala. Its Pre-history is normally divided in the Neolithic period and the Bronze Age. Some of the most ancient remains at Marsaskala are undoubtedly the cart-ruts, which are parallel channels formed in the rock face. Some of Malta's cart-ruts, mysteriously, lead straight into the sea. Difficulties and uncertainties still abound as regards their use as well as the time and the way they were made, though it seems that they served to transport heavy burdens from one place to another.

Early Christian catacombs as well as Roman era villa remains, were also discovered in Marsaskala, the latter suggesting that Marsaskala was also a Roman port. Remains of Roman Baths were found in a field at il-Gzira, a rock peninsula behind the Jerma Palace Hotel.

The still standing magnificent St Thomas Tower was built by the Knights Hospitaller soon after an attack on the south of Malta by 60 Turkish ships carrying 6000 soldiers, landing in Marsaskala in 1614. This brought back fear and terrifying memories of the 1565 Great Siege of Malta by the Ottoman Turks. Marsaskala's vulnerability to sea borne attacks was thus seen to by the building of this fortified tower by Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt. Other fortified towers still exist, notably Mamo Tower and the De Redin watch tower.