Thousands celebrate Gozo's Citadel restoration

Thousands of people visited Gozo’s Citadel as celebrations were held to mark the completion of the extensive restoration carried out at the picturesque historical town.

The celebration “Swar u Hajja” was organised by the Ministry for Gozo on Saturday. It included entertainment, games, exhibitions and historical enactments.

All Heritage museums and attractions were open for free, including the Gozo cathedral, the law courts, the cultural central, the ST Joseph and St Barbara chapels, war shelters, fortifications, as well as the new audio-visual centre

The restoration work carried out at the town was party of a project co-financed by the European Union for the implementation of recommendations of the Cittadella Masterplan.

Restoration work included works on the reservoirs, the installation of underground services, the paving of roads, the cleaning of ruins, and the restoration of facades on the San Guzepp chapel, the Isqof Cagliares palace and the folkore museum.

Remains unearthed during excavation works exposed the original entrance to the Citadel, while an underground passageway that led from the Citadel to a ditch was also unearthed.