Editing Marsaxlokk (section)

==History==
[[File:Marsaxlokk 1883.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Marsaxlokk in 1883]]

To the north-east of the village, on the rounded hilltop of [[Tas-Silġ]], there is a multi-period sanctuary site covering all eras from the [[Neolithic]] to the fourth century AD.<ref name="MU">{{cite web|url=http://www.um.edu.mt/arts/classics-archaeo/projects/tassilg|title=Tas-Silġ Excavation Project (1996–2005)|website=[[University of Malta]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129035715/http://www.um.edu.mt/arts/classics-archaeo/projects/tassilg|archive-date=29 November 2014}}</ref> The Tas-Silġ site includes megalithic remains, scattered edifices belonging to three distinct temples. [[Cicero]] describes the temple of Juno in Malta in his ''[[In Verrem]]''.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/Tas-Sil-uncovered.487456|title=Tas-Silg... uncovered|last=Carabott|first=Sarah|date=24 September 2013|work=Times of Malta|access-date=2019-06-23}}</ref> The temple, long associated with the remains at Tas-Silġ, contained "a large number of ornaments among which was a carefully and supremely crafted ancient ivory statue of Victory."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://era.org.mt/en/Documents/20160708_EPS_v1_Final.pdf|title=Environmental Impact Statement for proposed coastal defences at Marsaxlokk|website=ERA|access-date=2019-06-23}}</ref> The presence of such ornaments is a clear indication of the importance of this temple not just locally but also on a [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] scale. Recent studies of the ceramics from Tas-Silġ led to conclusions that the sanctuary was used as a centre of exchange for both local and imported goods.<ref name="BRU_42">{{Harvnb|Bruno|2009|p=42}}</ref> The remains atop the hill also include a more recent [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] basilica and monastery.<ref name=":2" />

Little is known about the area during the Middle Ages, with all the [[casalia]] of the south-eastern side of the island being exposed to frequent raids and attacks by [[Saracen|Saracen pirates]] and, later, raiders from the [[Barbary Coast|Barbary coast]]. Modern historical studies and topology confirm that the area between Żejtun and Marsaxlokk was covered in vegetation and pasture land.<ref name="BRU_120">{{Harvnb|Bruno|2009|p=120}}</ref> In the later Middle Ages, Marsaxlokk was included in medieval [[Portolan chart|portolani]]. At least three of these medieval sailing instructions, dating as far back as the 13th century mention, Marsaxlokk (as {{Transliteration|mt|marza sinocho}}, {{Transliteration|mt|Marsa silocco}} and {{Transliteration|mt|marza per sirocho}}). The Rizo portolan of 1490 gives sailing distances from Marsaxlokk to a variety of other ports in the Mediterranean including [[Tunis]], [[Cephalonia]] and [[Tripoli, Libya|Tripoli]] in [[Libya]]. This reflects the port's connectivity with other parts of the medieval Mediterranean.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Cassola|first=A.|date=1992|title=The Maltese Toponomy in three Ancient Italian Portulans (1296-1490)|url=https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/bitstream/handle/123456789/22811/Al%20-%20Masaq.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y|journal=Al-Masaq Studia Arabo-Islamica Mediterranea International Jour-nal of Arabo- Islamic Mediterranean Studies|volume=5|pages=47–64}}</ref>

The invading Ottoman navy anchored at Marsaxlokk during the [[Great Siege of Malta|Great Siege of 1565]], before they completed the attack on [[Fort Saint Elmo]].<ref name=":0" /> The whole harbour area was systematically fortified over successive centuries, with towers, batteries and fortresses ringing Marsaxlokk bay. This chain of fortifications was intended to protect the vulnerable harbour, and included [[Vendôme Tower]], [[Fort Delimara]], [[Delimara Tower]], [[St Paul's Tower and Chapel (Malta)|Ta' Bettina Tower]], and [[Fort Tas-Silġ]] on Delimara point, on the north arm of Marsaxlokk Bay, [[Fort San Lucian]] on Kbira point in the middle of the bay, and the [[Pinto Battery|Pinto]] and [[Ferretti Battery|Ferretti]] batteries on the shores of the bay towards Birżebbuġa. The most prominent fortification of this chain, Fort San Lucian was built by 1611 [[Raid on Żejtun|and may have prevented a landing in the bay by Ottoman forces in 1614]]. [[Napoleon]]'s navy entered Marsaxlokk, and landed an army on the coast during the [[French invasion of Malta|French invasion of 1798]].<ref name="Marsaxlokk in detail">{{Cite web|url=https://www.lonelyplanet.com/malta/marsaxlokk/background/history/a/nar/05ae0ebc-1827-48a8-8f26-08a4c017abab/1316064|title=Marsaxlokk in detail|website=lonelyplanet.com|access-date=2018-11-06}}</ref> During the [[Siege of Malta (1798–1800)|Maltese uprising]] - British, Neapolitan and Portuguese forces operated from here. [[Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson|Horatio Nelson]] and his lover [[Emma, Lady Hamilton|Emma Hamilton]] also stayed here from April to June 1800, visiting parts of the island.<ref>{{cite book| last = Bradford| first = Ernle| author-link = Ernle Bradford| year = 1999 |orig-year=1977| title = Nelson: The Essential Hero|page=249| publisher = Wordsworth Military Library| isbn = 1-84022-202-6}}</ref>

Most of the fishermen who worked out of Marsaxlokk bay hailed from Żejtun, commuting back and forth from the shore. Around 1846, the first houses began to be built in Marsaxlokk, as fishermen from Żejtun settled there permanently.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Malta, Mediterranean Bridge|last=Goodwin|first=Stefan|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|year=2002|isbn=0897898206|pages=69–70}}</ref> At the end of the nineteenth century, a church was built to minister to the spiritual needs of the fishermen and their families. Eventually, the fishing village of Marsaxlokk was separated from Żejtun and became a distinct parish in January 1897.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://lc.gov.mt/Page.aspx?catid=19&pid=188&lid=1|title=Local Councils - Marsaxlokk|website=lc.gov.mt|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180107082014/http://lc.gov.mt/Page.aspx?catid=19&pid=188&lid=1|archive-date=7 January 2018|url-status=live|access-date=2018-01-07}}</ref> The construction of the parish church started in 1890.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.marsaxlokkparish.com/parrocca|title=Storja tal-Parrocca {{!}} Marsaxlokk|website=marsaxlokkparish.com|access-date=2019-06-23}}</ref> It was built as a fulfillment of a promise made by Marquess Rosalia Apap Viani Testaferrata after she was saved from a violent storm at sea. The church was originally built in a rectangular form with the designs attributed to Dun Ġużepp Diacono. Marsaxlokk became an independent parish in 1897. The feast of our lady is held on the last Sunday of July. It includes a procession with the statue and a firework display.

In the 1930s, Marsaxlokk bay was used as a staging post by [[Short Empire|four-engined Short C-Class flying boats]] of [[United Kingdom|Britain]]'s [[Imperial Airways]] as they pioneered long-distance air travel to across the [[British Empire]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lonelyplanet.com/malta/marsaxlokk/background/history/a/nar/05ae0ebc-1827-48a8-8f26-08a4c017abab/1316064|title=History in Marsaxlokk|website=Lonely Planet|access-date=2019-06-23}}</ref> During the [[World War II|Second World War]], Marsaxlokk Bay was the base for the [[Fleet Air Arm]] with a base at Kalafrana.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.aviationinmalta.com/MilitaryAviation/Maltabased/RoyalNavy/tabid/815/language/en-GB/Default.aspx|title=Royal Navy|website=aviationinmalta.com|access-date=2019-06-23}}</ref> In 1989, the [[Malta Summit|famous summit meeting]] between [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] and [[United States|US]] leaders [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] and [[George H. W. Bush|George H.W. Bush]] was held [[TS Maxim Gorkiy|on board a ship anchored in the bay]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.tvm.com.mt/en/news/29-years-ago-bush-was-in-malta-for-summit-which-buried-the-cold-war/|title=29 years ago Bush was in Malta for summit which buried the Cold War|date=1 December 2018|work=tvm.com.mt|access-date=2019-06-23}}</ref> Today, the village is framed by the fuel tanks and chimneys of the 537.8-megawatt [[Delimara Power Station]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-01-09/blogs-opinions/The-Marsaxlokk-power-station-and-the-end-of-science-6736168806|title=The Marsaxlokk power station and the end of science|last=Mercieca|first=Simon|date=9 January 2017|work=The Malta Independent|access-date=2019-06-23}}</ref> and the huge cranes of the [[Malta Freeport|Malta Freeport Container Terminal]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://era.org.mt/en/Documents/PDS_PA_3368_06.PDF|title=Proposed Development at Malta Freeport Terminals Limited|website=ERA|access-date=2019-06-23}}</ref>

In recent years, Marsaxlokk has also developed as a modern seaside resort. The village includes a natural park at Xrobb l-Għaġin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.xrobblghagin.org.mt/|title=Xrobb l-Ghagin Nature Park|website=xrobblghagin.org.mt|access-date=2019-06-23}}</ref>