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Maklowicz discovers the hidden evacuation tunnels of the oldest fortress on the archipelago
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."
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.
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.
Entry to the Citadel grounds is free. Museums cost €5 each or €13 for a combined ticket.
Highlights from Robert Maklowicz's travels
Valletta's fortifications
“Te mury pamiętają Wielkie Oblężenie — i do dziś stoją niewzruszenie.”
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