Ħaġar Qim
Facade of the main temple of Ħaġar Qim, seen prior to the 2009 construction of a protective shelter | |
| Location | Qrendi, Southern Region, Malta |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 35°49′40″N 14°26′32″E / 35.82778°N 14.44222°E |
| Type | Temple |
| History | |
| Material | Limestone |
| Founded | c. 3400 BC |
| Periods | Ġgantija phase |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 1839, 1885, 1909-1910, 1949-1950 |
| Archaeologists | J. G. Vance Antonio Caruana Themistocles Zammit Thomas Peet John Evans |
| Condition | Well-preserved ruins |
| Ownership | Government of Malta |
| Management | Heritage Malta |
| Public access | Yes |
| Website | shows information about Hagar Qim Heritage Malta |
| Part of | Megalithic Temples of Malta |
| Criteria | Cultural: (iv) |
| Reference | 132ter-002 |
| Inscription | 1980 (4th Session) |
| Extensions | 1992, 2015 |
| Area | 0.813 ha (87,500 sq ft) |
Ħaġar Qim (Maltese pronunciation: [ˈħɐd͡ʒɐr ˈʔiːm]; "Standing/Worshipping Stones") is a megalithic temple complex found on the Mediterranean island of Malta, dating from the Ġgantija phase (3600–3200 BC). The Megalithic Temples of Malta are among the most ancient religious sites on Earth, described by the World Heritage Sites committee as "unique architectural masterpieces." In 1992 UNESCO recognized Ħaġar Qim and four other Maltese megalithic structures as World Heritage Sites. V. Gordon Childe, Professor of Prehistoric European Archeology and director of the Institute of Archaeology in the University of London from 1946-1957 visited Ħaġar Qim. He wrote, "I have been visiting the prehistoric ruins all round the Mediterranean, from Mesopotamia to Egypt, Greece and Switzerland, but I have nowhere seen a place as old as this one."
Ħaġar Qim's builders used globigerina limestone in the temple's construction. As a result of this, the temple has suffered from severe weathering and surface flaking over the millennia. In 2009, work was completed on a protective tent.