The Citadel of Gozo — A Fortress With a Secret Escape

The Citadel in Victoria on Gozo is one of the oldest inhabited fortresses in the world. Maklowicz visits it in the Gozo episode and draws attention to a fascinating detail: "The Citadel was also equipped with evacuation exits."

5,000 Years of History

The Citadel hill has been inhabited since the Bronze Age (around 1500 BCE). Successive civilisations — Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Normans — built on the ruins of their predecessors. The current fortifications are the work of the Knights of Malta from the 16th-17th centuries.

Mysterious Tunnels

Beneath the fortress runs a network of underground tunnels. In case of siege, the inhabitants of Gozo could evacuate through hidden passages leading beyond the walls. Some tunnels are still accessible, others have been buried over the centuries.

What to See

• Cathedral of the Assumption — an illusionistic ceiling painted as a dome (there is no dome!)
• Old Prison — graffiti carved by prisoners in the 16th-18th centuries
• Archaeological Museum — artefacts spanning 5,000 years
• 360° Panorama — view of all of Gozo from the walls

Entry to the Citadel grounds is free. Museums cost €5 each or €13 for a combined ticket.