Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum to re-open mid-May

After months of major conservation works, the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum will re-open on 15 May.

These works reviewed and redesigned the environmental management of the Hypogeum and included also new visitor facilities.

At a total eligible cost of €1.1 million, the project involved the installation of a micro-climate management system, with both passive and active control measures. Passive measures included the replacement of the existing insulated roof sheeting which covers the monument, improvement of the insulation of the external walls and elimination of fabric-lined wall-panelling and flooring, while active measures involved the installation of an advanced environmental management system designed to keep humidity and temperature levels stable, at the levels required for the preservation of the site.

Additional works also included the investigation and replacement of overlying connections to water mains and sewers, as well as new visitor facilities which make better use of the limited space within the building.

The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum is an underground prehistoric cemetery used from around 4,000 BC to 2,500 BC and has been recognised by UNESCO as a site that “bears unique testimony to a civilization which has disappeared”.

The site consists of a series of rock-cut chambers set on three levels. Carved in the living rock, some of the chambers of the Hypogeum are very similar to contemporary built megalithic structures.

Tickets are available online on https://booking.heritagemalta.org/ while a total of 20 tickets daily will be available for the day after. These tickets can be bought from Fort St Elmo and from the Gozo Museum of Archaeology.

Tours in the underground prehistoric cemetery will still be held every hour and there will be a total of eight tours every day.

Visitors who do not manage to book a ticket for the regular tour will still have the opportunity to explore this prehistoric site through a new audio-visual show installed in the redesigned interpretation centre. 70 tickets for this will be available daily.

Ticket prices for the regular tours are as follows: €35 for adults; €15 for children; €20 seniors and students; and €40 last minute tickets. Heritage Malta Members benefit from a 50% discount.

Ticket prices for the audio-visual show in the new interpretation centre stand at €5 for adults and €3.50 for seniors, children, students, concessions.

This project was supported by a grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants 2009-2014.