The Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Conservation and Presentation Project is now at an advanced design stage, the Department of Information said yesterday.
In December 2005, the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) decided to grant full development permission for the project. Since then, the international team of architects and engineers led by Swiss architect Walter Hunziker has been designing the detailed specifications for every component of the project.
The value of the project is estimated at e3.5 million excluding VAT. Most of the funds for the project have been allocated from the European Union’s Regional Development Fund, with some co-funding from the Maltese government. The project is being delivered by Heritage Malta under the auspices of the Tourism and Culture Ministry.
The aims of the project are firstly the conservation of the two prehistoric buildings for future generations, and secondly to make the Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Archaeological Park more accessible to visitors. A visitor centre will be built to provide adequate interpretation facilities, an exhibition space for some of the original artefacts discovered on the sites, and amenities such as a museum shop and cafeteria.
The visitor centre will be located within the existing car park, in order to avoid any physical impact on agricultural land or undiscovered archaeological remains. Meanwhile, protective shelters are being designed to protect the megalithic buildings of Hagar Qim and Mnajdra from the elements, in order to slow down the rapid deterioration that is taking place at present. The protective shelters are designed as an interim preventive measure with a lifespan of 30 years, during which research will continue on alternative ways to preserve the sites.
The protective shelters are to be installed on site during the second half of 2007, while the visitor centre is expected to be completed during the first half of 2008.
Danuta Hubner, EU Commissioner for Regional Policy yesterday visited Hagar Qim. Dr Francis Zammit Dimech, Tourism and Culture minister; Antoinette Caruana, CEO Heritage Malta; Rueben Grima, Curator World Heritage Sites and Katya Stroud, Collection and Site Executive World Heritage Sites, Heritage Malta; Perit Alex Torpiano and Marie Louise Mangion, Director EU Affairs & Policy Development were present to welcome Ms Danuta Hubner.
Dr Zammit Dimech said the Mnajdra/Hagar Qim project was proceeding according to EU timeframes and plan schedules and that the majority of tenders will be awarded by the end of 2006.