Cultural Heritage
The Majjistral Nature and History Park is characterised by rocky coastline and an open garigue landscape, with extremely high exposure to the strong elements of sun, sea and wind that prevail along the coast. The rural, vernacular and military heritage of the area forms an important cultural landscape, with human activity attempting to make the most of the difficult conditions and limited resources available. The cultural features of the area are intimately linked to the geographical landscape in which they are situated.
Various features of cultural interest that merit conservation lie within the boundaries of the Park. These features include cart-ruts, long rubble walls (dry stone walls), farmhouses, small beehives, tombs dating to the Classical period, natural caves, and numerous corbelled stone huts (giren) which lie within and outside the Park. Of particular interest is a rare corbelled hut constructed in a square shape. Rural corbelled huts were used for both storage and shelter.
There are also notable remains of British military architecture in the area, mainly dating to the early 20th century. Two large sets of military barracks used during the British period lie just outside the confines of the Park, which were used for military exercises and training. A military shooting range also exists with the Park. There is a camouflaged second World War pillbox near the Manikata area, and another in the Għajn Żnuber area. During the first World War, wounded soldiers from the Battle of the Dardanelles (Battle of Gallipoli) were brought to a large hospital camp erected in this area.
Remains of cart-ruts (grooves cut or worn into the natural rock), ancient stone quarries and megalithic walls lie behind the interesting modern church of Manikata, built in the early 1970s by the architect Richard England. Bronze-age cart-ruts also exist in others areas of the Xagħra l-Ħamra plateau.
On the two sides of the valley overlooking Golden Bay (ir-Ramla tal-Mixquqa), there are entrenchments built as part of a coastal defence system during the period of the Knights of St John, in the early eighteenth century.
