Malta is a country rich in history and natural monuments, which attracts tourists from all over the world. One of them is the Azure Window, which, alas, was destroyed, but was famous for its fabulous scenery and interesting stories. The attraction is located on the west coast of the island of Gozo. This place attracts tourists with other interesting objects: the blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea, cliffs and caves.
History of the Azure Window
Scientists debate the emergence of this natural monument in the form of a large limestone arch: most are convinced that the site took about five centuries to form. Wind and water eroded the surface until a small passageway was formed, which over time grew several times larger.
Looking for the first mention of the arch, experts cite several points:
- 1647 - mention of an arch in these places in the records of Giovanni Abel: most experts are certain that the Maltese wrote about the entrance to a nearby cave
- 1746 - similar records were made by another Maltese, De Soldanis
- 1824 - depiction of the site by one artist, but the view was uncomfortable: the arch is far away and at an angle - it was probably a cave rather than a through "window"
- 1866 - painter Edward Lear went to Gozo in search of scenic spots, but did not find the arch, saying there were more beautiful places in Malta
- 1879 - the first photographs of Richard Ellis's arch are taken
Thus, researchers agree that the most likely time of formation of the Azure Window is between '66 and '79 in the 19th century.
Destruction of the arch
After 1980, the upper part of the arch began to collapse due to erosion: the arch began to actively expand. Scientists had no doubt that the attraction would collapse at the beginning of the 21st century.
In 2012, a large fragment of rock broke off, another similar moment occurred in 2013 - at that time, geologists conducted research and predicted "the destruction of the arch in 4-5 years": they were not mistaken. In 2015, the island authorities began warning tourists and locals about the dangers of being on and near the rock, but the warnings didn't work. In 2016, a fine of 1,500 euros was introduced for visiting the cliff, but that didn't stop thousands of tourists.
On March 8, 2017, there was a violent storm off the coast of Gozo, which provoked the complete destruction of the landmark: the rock collapsed and disappeared into the waters of the sea. Fortunately, at that moment there were no extreme people who decided to try their luck in bad weather.
The Future of the Arch
It took a long time for the island authorities to decide what to do next: as a result, a plan was adopted to restore the arch in the form of a steel replica that replicates the outlines of the rock. Inside the copy will be a five-story museum, telling the history of the state. There are also plans to raise fragments of the Azure Window from below, which will fill one of the museum's exhibits.
Interesting Facts
- Many scenes from popular movies, including Game of Thrones, were filmed against the backdrop of the Azure Window
- The height of the window was 28 meters.
- The museum project was to become the ultimate symbol of the unity of nature and technology
