Located half way from the Mgarr Harbour to the capital town of Victoria, Xewkija is considered the oldest village in Gozo.
The village became the first parish outside Victoria on the 27th November 1678 by Bishop Molina.
The word Xewkija is derived from Arabic meaning an area of vast fields full of thorns which characterized the region in the past.
The first parish church, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, was erected and consecrated in 1755.
After the 2nd World War, with the growth of the population, there was the need for a larger church. The architect Joseph D'Amato, inspired by the famous Basilica of Santa Maria Della Salute in Venice, drew the plans of the new church and the first stone was laid down in 1951.
Today, the majestic Rotunda, dedicated to St John The Baptist, is Xewkija's distinctive landmark and parish church. |
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