Qala Local Council

Welcome to Qala Local Council

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History of the Locality The people who first colonized Gozo probably lived in the caves known as Il-Mixta on Għajn Għabdun plateau to the north-west of Gozo. This group soon spread in search of agricultural land and the present area of il-Qala, with its fertile soils must have soon been inhabited.

A temple might have also been raised in the present il-Qala area. Only a menhir, remains nowadays, but pottery sherds picked up from nearby suggest that the stone is possibly the sole surviving element of a megalithic structure of the Temple Period.

In 1920, what were probably Punic burials, were discovered in a spot known as Fuq il-Għerien, close to Ta’ Tocc. Besides, two punic tombs with pottery remains were unearthed next to the chapel of the Immaculate Conception in 1964 and there were more in the same area that were never reported to the authorities. These discoveries suggest activity in the area during Punic times.

Punic and Roman remains have been found from time to time in various places in the village, prominent among them the discovery of ancient graves near Marga valley.

The defence of the eastern shoreline of Gozo was greatly enhanced in the 1730’s by the construction at Ras il-Qala of Saint Anthony’s Battery, referred to by the Qalin as It-Trunciera.

The battery lies on the eastern tip of Gozo.

Construction work was undertaken during 1732 under the direction of the Order’s military engineer Charles de Mondion. An inscription recorded that it was raised in 1732, when Paolo Antonio de Viguier was Governor of Gozo.

On 10 June 1798, the French, under General Napoleon Bonaparte, occupied Malta and Gozo. The inhabitants of il-Qala as well as their cattle rushed to the relative safety of Fort Chambray.