The Tarxien Temples, Neolithic Malta's spirals and carved animals

For me, Tarxien is the temple in Malta where the art matters most. Others impress with their setting or the sheer size of the stones; this one impresses with what’s carved into them. Spirals, goats, bulls, pigs and a ram in bas-relief, in a complex a few minutes from the Hypogeum.

Four temples found by a farmer

The complex was discovered in 1913 by a farmer, Lorenzo Despott. The excavations, from 1915 to 1919, were led by Sir Themistocles Zammit, Malta’s Director of Museums at the time. They uncovered four megalithic structures from the late Neolithic, later reused in the Early Bronze Age.

The oldest is the Eastern Structure, of which only the lower walls survive, though you can still read its concave façade and five chambers. That same eastern building follows the usual layout of these temples, a central corridor flanked by a semicircular chamber on each side. The six-chambered Central Structure was the last of the four, and it keeps evidence of corbelled roofing that helps you picture these buildings with a roof on.

The complex belongs to the Megalithic Temples of Malta, a UNESCO listing from 1980 that was widened in 1992. That’s six inscribed sites adding up to seven temples, all of which I cover in the megalithic temples of Malta.

What makes the Tarxien Temples special?

The South Structure. Heritage Malta describes it as highly decorated and rich in prehistoric art, with reliefs of spirals and domestic animals, goats, bulls, pigs and a ram. The lower part of a colossal statue of a figure in a pleated skirt stands there too, which Heritage Malta says stands sentinel to the dawn of civilisation. The large number of animal bones found, mostly in specific areas, shows how much these animals mattered.

There are other details I find fascinating. Physical barriers sometimes block the way between areas, which suggests parts of the buildings were open only to part of the community. And in the corridors of the Central Structure there are two hearths, one large and one smaller, evidence that fire was used inside. We know little of what went on here, but everything points to these being central buildings in the lives of those who used them.

The story doesn’t end with the Neolithic. After 2000 BC, in the Early Bronze Age, new arrivals turned part of the site into a cremation cemetery, leaving a rich record of customs and objects.

What’s in Valletta instead

A word to avoid disappointment. Heritage Malta moved the complex’s most vulnerable finds to the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta for conservation, and that’s where the colossal statue from Tarxien is displayed. So I’d see the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta first and come here afterwards, with the originals fresh in your mind.

Tarxien, Ħaġar Qim or Ġgantija?

If you’ve time for only one temple, here’s how I’d choose. Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra are the ones for setting, in Qrendi, with a single €10 ticket for both. Ġgantija, on Gozo, is the one for colossal stones, at €10 with the Ta’ Kola windmill. Tarxien is the one for detail, the cheapest of the three at €6, and the one that pairs best with the Hypogeum, just minutes away, in a single morning. On a first trip with no time for Gozo, I’d do Tarxien with the Hypogeum and keep Ħaġar Qim for another day.

Prices, opening times and pairing it up

An adult ticket is €6, the concession rate for youths, students and over-60s is €4.50, and a child between 6 and 11 costs €3. It’s included in the Multisite Pass. The season timetable, 10:00 to 18:00 daily, lasts until 31 October 2026, and the winter one, to 28 February 2027, is 09:00 to 17:00. There are audio guides in several languages, lockers, and a fully accessible walkway round the site.

The obvious pairing is the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, a few minutes away. Buy your Tarxien ticket at the door, show the Hypogeum one, and it’s half price. The closest bus stop, Heritage Malta says, is five minutes away on foot. And if you want more, there’s a combined ticket with Kordin III in Paola, open only on the second Sunday of each month. The town itself is covered in Tarxien, the temple town.