Il-Kastell

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While the walls surrounding Il-Kastell date from the 15th century, there have been fortifications atop this flat-topped hill since the Bronze Age: it developed under the Phoenicians and later became a Roman town. After terrible raids on Gozo by the Turks, it became customary for all the island's families to stay within Il-Kastell overnight, a practice that lasted into the 17th century. Walk almost all the way around the city walls, for astounding views over Gozo and towards the sea

Also known locally as the Ċittadella, an excellent new visitor centre experience opened in 2016 to complement Il-Kastell's compact array of interesting museums. Inside the walls are also arts and crafts shops specialising in silver jewellery and traditional Gozitan lace.

Entry to Il-Kastell includes the Ċittadella Visitors' Centre and entry to four museums falling under the Heritage Malta banner: the Archaeology Museum, the Old Prison, the Gozo Nature Museum and the Gran Castello Historic House.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Ċittadella Visitors' Centre

0.01 MILES

Inaugurated in mid-2016 as part of the excellent restoration of Victoria's Il-Kastell, this award-winning visitors' centre includes a poignant and…

2. Main Gate

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Note the Roman inscription on the left-hand inner wall from the 2nd century AD.

3. Archaeology Museum

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Victoria's Archaeology Museum houses some incredible finds. There are some 'fat lady' carvings from Ġgantija Temples and Xagħra, around 3000 to 4000 years…

5. Old Prison

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The Old Prison served as a jail from the late 1500s to 1904, and proved particularly useful for locking up hot-tempered Knights until they cooled off. The…

6. Gozo 360°

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Gozo 360° is a 30-minute audiovisual show that gives a good, basic introduction to the island's history and sights before veering off into tourist board…

7. Cathedral of the Assumption

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Built between 1697 and 1711 to replace a church destroyed by a 1693 earthquake (which was in southern Italy but caused damage as far Gozo), the cathedral…

8. Gozo Nature Museum

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This gracious old building houses a series of low-key exhibits explaining the geology of the island and its water supply. There are some interesting…