The International Day for Monuments and Sites was created on 18 April 1982 by ICOMOS and approved by the UNESCO General Conference. This special day offers an opportunity to raise the public’s awareness about the diversity of cultural heritage and the efforts that are required to protect and conserve it, as well as draw attention to its vulnerability.

An open day will be held at Ta’ Hagrat in Mgarr. Visitors to this megalithic temple, which is the earliest temple built in Malta, will have the opportunity to follow a guided tour of the site. Three tours are scheduled for the day at 10am, noon and 2pm. Admission to Ta’ Hagrat will be restricted to these three time slots.

This temple complex is only open to the public by appointment and this is another opportunity for cultural enthusiasts to enjoy another gem of Malta’s rich archaeological past.

Other sites which will be complemented by guided tours throughout the day are the Malta Maritime Museum at Vittoriosa, the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta and the Temples of Hagar Qim and Mnajdra in the limits of Qrendi. Sites will be open between 8.30am and 4.30pm. Three guided tours will be held during the day at 10am, noon and 2pm.

In Gozo, visitors to the Ggantija Temples will be able to join one of two guided tours scheduled for the day. The first tour commences at 10am while the other starts at noon. On Sunday, other sites in Gozo are open between 8.30am and 3pm.