Għajnsielem

Għajnsielem (Maltese pronunciation: [ɐˤɪ̯nˈsɪːlɛm]; meaning "Spring of Peace") is a municipality on the southeastern coast of the island of Gozo in Malta, including the entire island of Comino. It has a population of 3,200 residents (as of March 2014),^[1] and is the first Gozitan village that greets the visitor on leaving Mġarr Harbour towards the Gozitan heartland. Its name originated from the water spring, around which in 1700, Grandmaster Perellos built an arcade containing public wash basins and fresh water spouts. Attractions include Lourdes Chapel with its sharp steeple and underlying niche of Our Lady of Lourdes, Fort Chambray and the towering of Ghajnsielem Parish Church.

Għajnsielem
Local council
Għajnsielem parish church
Flag Coat of arms
Motto:  Spring of Peace
Coordinates: 36°1′37″N 14°17′25″E
Country	Malta
Region	Gozo Region
District	Gozo and Comino District
Borders	Nadur, Qala, Sannat, Xewkija
Government
• Mayor	Kevin Cauchi (PN)
Area
• Total	7.2 km2 (2.8 sq mi)
Population  (Jan. 2019)
• Total	2,931
• Density	410/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Għajnsilmiż (m), Għajnsilmiża (f), Għajnsilmiżi (pl)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	GSM
Dialing code	356
ISO 3166 code	MT-13
Patron saint	Our Lady of Loreto
Website	www.ghajnsielemlc.com

Village Motto and Coat of Arms

The Latin motto of Ghajnsielem is Ob fontem prosperitas, that is Flourishing because of a spring – Nistagħna b’nixxiegħa ilma. The springs in the area were the magnet that attracted the first inhabitants that eventually led to the prosperity of the place.

Places

The following is a list of prominent places, buildings and structures in the village.^[2][3]

• Mġarr Harbour
• Fort Chambray
• Lourdes Chapel and Lourdes Home
• Our Lady of Loreto Parish Church
• Apparation Square
• St Anthony's Church
• Mġarr ix-Xini Tower
• Comino
• Old Parish Church
• Imrejżbiet and Tal-Qiegħan Temples
• Santa Cecilia Tower and Chapel
• Niches around Ghajnsielem
• Borġ Għarib
• The Fougasse
• Garzes Tower (demolished)
• Belvederes
• Gozo Heritage (closed)
• Xatt l-Aħmar

Band Clubs

• St. Joseph Band Club (L-Għaqda Mużikali San Ġużepp)

Football Clubs

• Għajnsielem F.C.

Zones in Għajnsielem

• Borġ l-Għarib
• Fort Chambray
• Ġnien Miġiaro
• Iċ-Ċens
• Il-Gudja
• Mġarr Port
• Mġarr Valley
• Imrejżbiet
• Rdum it-Tafal
• Ta' Briegħen
• Ta' Cordina
• Ta' Kusbejja
• Taħt il-Belt
• Tal-Palma
• Xatt l-Aħmar
• Żewwieqa

Għajnsielem Main Roads

• Pjazza Indipendenza (Independence Square)
• Pjazza Loreto (Loreto Square)
• Triq Borġ Għarib (Borg Gharib Road)
• Triq il-Fawwara
• Triq il-Ġnien (Garden Street)
• Triq il-Ħamri
• Triq il-Qala (Qala Road)
• Triq in-Nadur (Nadur Road)
• Triq ix-Xatt (Strand Street)
• Triq iż-Żewwieqa
• Triq l-Imġarr (Mġarr Road)
• Triq Sant' Antnin (St Anthony Road)

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Malta

Għajnsielem is twinned with:^[4][5]

• Bethlehem, Palestine
• Tolfa, Italy
• Portet-sur-Garonne, France

See also

• Radju Lauretana