Ħaġar Qim (Megalithic Temple of Malta)
Ħaġar Qim is one of the oldest stone monuments on Earth: a megalithic temple raised more than 5,000 years ago, before the pyramids of Egypt, on the cliffs of Malta’s southern coast. Here is everything you need to know to plan your visit.
- Megalithic temple (UNESCO site)
- 1h30 to 3h
- From €10 (Mnajdra included)
- Qrendi, south coast
Our take on the temple of Ħaġar Qim
Ħaġar Qim is one of Malta’s must-see sites. It is one of the seven Megalithic Temples of Malta, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Built around 3600-3200 BC, during the Maltese megalithic period (Ġgantija phase), the site rarely leaves visitors indifferent. Perched on a ridge facing the sea, the temple impresses with its blocks weighing several tonnes and the mystery still surrounding its builders.
For a rewarding visit, one that amounts to more than ‘a pile of stones’, the audio guide and the visitor centre are essential. The audio guide is free and available in English, downloadable via a QR code, with a version for children. The visitor centre and its introductory film set the scene before you head out to the ruins. Take your time: allow around two hours to enjoy the site along with Mnajdra, the second temple, a five-minute walk away and included in your ticket.
It is worth noting that Ħaġar Qim sits just five minutes’ drive from the Blue Grotto: two visits to plan for the same half-day.
What we love
- Megaliths among the oldest in the world, predating the pyramids
- Free audio guide in English, plus a version for children
- A visitor centre and introductory film that set the context
- Two temples on a single ticket: Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra, 500 m apart
- You walk among the stones, something that has become rare at major prehistoric sites
- A stunning setting, on the clifftop facing the sea
Good to know before you go
- The protective canopies (added in 2008) get in the way of photos
- A price some find a little steep given the size of the ruins
- Without the audio guide, the visit loses much of its appeal
- A site fully exposed to the south: bring water, a hat and come during the cooler hours
- Mnajdra is not accessible to visitors with reduced mobility
What is Ħaġar Qim?
Ħaġar Qim (‘standing stones’ in Maltese) is a late Neolithic megalithic temple, raised in the fourth and third millennia BC, more than 5,000 years ago. It ranks among the oldest stone monuments in the world, older than Stonehenge and the pyramids of Egypt alike. The site stands on a ridge along Malta’s southern coast, the sea to the west and a fertile plain to the east.
The temple is built from Globigerina limestone, a soft, golden local stone cut into colossal blocks, some of them weighing more than twenty tonnes. It features two doorway types characteristic of Maltese architecture: the trilithon (two uprights topped by a lintel) and the ‘porthole’ door, an opening carved out of a single megalith. The chambers, laid out on either side of a paved corridor, were originally roofed with a corbelled vault.
Among the site’s celebrated finds are female statuettes with generous curves, including the famous ‘Venus of Malta’, linked to a fertility cult and now kept at the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta; on site, an original decorated slab has been replaced by a copy. Together with its neighbour Mnajdra, Ħaġar Qim has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1992, as part of the ‘Megalithic Temples of Malta’.
What to see at Ħaġar Qim
The visit unfolds in two stages. It begins indoors, at the visitor centre, where an introductory film and exhibits set the context before you head out to the temples: a helpful preamble, especially popular with families. Above all, pick up the audio guide, free and downloadable to your phone via a QR code, available in English among a dozen languages and offered in a children’s version too. It is what transforms the visit: without commentary, it is hard to grasp the significance of the place.
You then walk out to Ħaġar Qim, the main temple, which lines up its limestone blocks weighing several tonnes, its trilithon and ‘porthole’ doorways and its great courtyard. You move among the stones, something that has become rare at major prehistoric sites. Five hundred metres downhill, linked by a path and included in your ticket, Mnajdra overlooks the sea: its southern structure is renowned for its solar alignments, with the rising sun passing through its main doorway at the equinoxes.
One detail worth knowing before you arrive: since 2008, a vast canopy has protected the two temples from erosion. It gets in the way of photos a little, but it ensures the survival of a fragile limestone, and that is the price of preserving this World Heritage site.
Practical information
Prices
| Adult (18 and over) | €10 |
|---|---|
| Senior (60 and over) | €7.50 |
| Youth (12-17) | €7.50 |
| Student | €7.50 |
| Child (6-11) | €5.50 |
| Child (under 6) | free |
Opening hours
| Open | daily |
|---|---|
| Hours | approx. 9:00 am - 5:00 pm (varies by season) |
| Recommended duration | 1h30 to 3h |
| Ticket | Ħaġar Qim + Mnajdra included |
The audio guide is free (QR code, ten languages including English). Under-6s and Heritage Malta members enter free. As opening hours vary by season, check them on the official Heritage Malta website before you go.
Where is Ħaġar Qim
Ħaġar Qim stands in the locality of Qrendi, on the cliffs of Malta’s southern coast, about ten kilometres south-west of Valletta. The archaeological park brings together Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra around a single visitor centre.
How to get to Ħaġar Qim
The site is in Qrendi, on the south coast. Several bus lines reach the ‘Ħaġar Qim’ stop, a three-minute walk from the entrance. Remember to check the return times as soon as you arrive, as the service is infrequent.
By car: a free car park sits in front of the visitor centre, twenty-five to thirty minutes from Valletta.
Combine it with: Mnajdra, the second temple, is five hundred metres away along a path. The Blue Grotto is just five minutes’ drive away: many visitors take in both on the same morning.
Ħaġar Qim in pictures
FAQ about Ħaġar Qim
Does the Ħaġar Qim ticket include Mnajdra?
Yes. A single ticket gives access to both temples in the park, Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra, about five hundred metres apart and linked by a path.
How much does entry to Ħaġar Qim cost?
€10 for an adult (18 and over), €7.50 for seniors (60 and over), 12-17s and students, €5.50 for children aged 6 to 11. It is free for under-6s and Heritage Malta members.
What are the opening hours?
The site is open daily, but the hours vary by season. Expect an opening around 9 am and a closing in the late afternoon; check the details on the official Heritage Malta website before you go.
How do you get to Ħaġar Qim without a car?
By bus from Valletta: line 74 stops at ‘Ħaġar Qim’, a three-minute walk from the entrance, with a journey of forty-five minutes to an hour. Remember to check the return times, as the service is infrequent.
Is there an audio guide in English?
Yes, and it is free: you download it to your phone via a QR code, in around a dozen languages including English, with a version designed for children. Most visitors find it essential.
How much time should you allow for the visit?
From 1h30 to 3h: enough to explore the visitor centre, then the two open-air temples. Allow around two hours to enjoy it without rushing.
Why are the temples under a canopy?
Globigerina limestone is soft and erodes quickly in the open air. Canopies were therefore installed in 2008 above the two temples to slow their deterioration. They get in the way of photos a little, but they protect this World Heritage site.
What is there to see near Ħaġar Qim?
The Blue Grotto is five minutes’ drive away, perfect to pair with your visit. For a bite to eat, the villages of Wied iż-Żurrieq and Għar Lapsi have a few spots with sea views.