The Disappearing Village.

Il-Maqluba is a natural sinkhole located in Qrendi, Malta. It is around 50 metres in diameter, with a depth of 15 metres, an area of 6000m2 and a perimeter of 300 metres. The name Il-Maqluba means “upside down” or upturned in Maltese.

There are many myths and legends surrounding this place. One of the most famous tales is that on the 23rd of November 1343, Malta experienced one of the most severe storms and possibly the worst earthquake to hit the island. This caused the limestone to collapse, creating Il-Maqluba. Another legend goes that there were a group of sinful and evil people living in the hamlet near Il-Maqluba. God warned them of their debauchery through a good woman who lived nearby. These sinful people ignored her. So, God wanted to teach them a lesson by making the land swallow the hamlet keeping only the woman alive. Then, Angels were dispatched to dispose of the hamlet by carry it and dropping it into the sea, thus creating the island of Filfla, just a short distance away off the coast of Malta.

There are other theories surrounding Il-Maqluba that have historical facts. Studies show that Il-Maqluba might have been used as a well for the Phoenicians. The type of limestone in the area is soft and it’s called Tas-Sekonda. Something to do with the stone being inferior and deteriorating quickly. For years, the heavy waters had melted the stone and wells were excavated. It’s been said there is a natural cave in the middle (like Ghar Dalam) when the waters came in, it melted the stone Tas Sekonda which in turn was swallowed and formed the land we know today.

Another variant of the story which I found on the outside of the chapel on the edge of Il-Maqluba was that there was a pious woman in the chapel who escaped with her life after the chapel was shorn in two, another version states that there were a number of nuns who survived the cataclysm.