Kordin III, a prehistoric temple between a church and a mosque

You go to Malta’s megalithic temples for the horizon, as at Ħaġar Qim or Mnajdra. Kordin III is the opposite. It hides in Paola among the Corradino industrial units, with a church right beside it and a mosque opposite, and Heritage Malta presents it just like that, as beauty turning up in the unlikeliest spot. I think that mix is very Maltese.

Why the III?

The Kordin promontory was known to be rich in prehistoric remains as early as the 19th century, and several scholars had identified sites in the area. It was Thomas Ashby, a Rome-based British scholar, who dug the present Kordin III in 1909. The other remains around it fell away over the years, to war, defensive works or development, which is why the survivor is called Kordin III rather than just Kordin.

It’s a sharp reminder of how fragile prehistoric heritage has been around the Grand Harbour. I cover the whole family of these temples in the megalithic temples of Malta.

What you see

The main structures are fronted by a paved forecourt. Forecourts are typical of the period, but the paving at Kordin III is unique, though some doubt whether it was simply the bedding for a layer of beaten earth, like the forecourt known at Tarxien.

Inside the trefoil-shaped megalithic structure, a large, oddly shaped stone, perhaps with a maritime motif, was used as a quern. That’s inferred because a rubbing stone was found inside too. These are small details, which is why I’d visit with the bigger temples already in my head.

If you are short on time, see the best tours in Kordin III and pick one that fits your day.

When and how to go

The opening hours are the big filter. Kordin III only opens on the second Sunday of each month, 10am to 4pm. Entry is €5 for an adult, with €3.50 for seniors and students and €2.50 per child, and Heritage Malta sells a combo with the Tarxien temples.

The entrance is inside the car park of St Anthony of Padua Church in Paola, by the convent, and buses stop roughly five minutes’ walk from it. Heritage Malta warns that part of the site is out of reach for visitors with limited mobility.

If your dates fit that Sunday, the ideal plan is a prehistoric morning in Paola and Tarxien, with the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum booked well ahead. If they don’t, I wouldn’t lose sleep over it, because Tarxien shows the same story on a bigger scale.

Should you go?

Kordin III suits anyone who has already done the big temples and wants to round off Malta’s Neolithic map with an oddity, that paved forecourt with no equivalent anywhere else. It also works for people staying near the Grand Harbour who fancy a different Sunday outing. On a first week in Malta, though, I’d rank it below Tarxien or the Hypogeum, because the context makes far more sense there, and Kordin is more rewarding once you have it. It’s also worth knowing that the setting, among industrial buildings, is part of the experience rather than a flaw, which is precisely how Heritage Malta sells it. Go in knowing it’s a small site, and the second Sunday of the month is the day to aim for.

Where the bus does not go, a car does: compare car hire in Valletta before you arrive rather than at the desk.

If you still need a way in, check the best ticket deals to Malta from where you are.