About
Għajnsielem
Għajnsielem means simply Salem’s spring; Salem is a common Arabic name. The spring referred to was situated at the mouth of Wied Simirat, the valley that now ends in Pjazza tad-Dehra in the very core of the village. The village lies just off Mġarr harbour, Gozo’s gateway to Malta and the world. It was uninhabited up to the early seventeenth century, but when Mġarr slowly replaced Marsalforn as the principal port of Gozo, people started to move in the area. In 1749, the Knights commenced the construction of Città Vilhena overlooking the harbour, henceforth known as Fort Chambray, after Jacques François de Chambray, Governor of Gozo, who bequeathed most of his property for the project. It has been converted into a top-notch residential complex. The parish church, in neo-gothic style, is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary of Loreto.
Għajnsielem ifisser sempliċement in-nixxiegħa ta’ Salem; Salem huwa isem Għarbi komuni. In-nixxiegħa msemmija kienet tinsab fil-bokka ta’ Wied Simirat, il-wied li llum jispiċċa fi Pjazza tad-Dehra fil-qalba tar-raħal. Ir-raħal jinsab fuq ir-riħ tal-port tal-Imġarr, il-port li jgħaqqad lil Għawdex ma’ Malta u d-dinja. L-inħawi, minħabba l-biża tal-pirati, kienu diżabitati sal-bidu tas-seklu sbatax. Meta nbnew żewġ torrijiet tal-għassa, l-Imġarr ma damx ma ħa post Marsalforn bħala l-port ewlieni ta’ Għawdex. U n-nies bdew jibnu fl-inħawi. Fl-1749, maġenb Għajnsielem, il-Kavallieri ta’ San Ġwann bdew jibnu Città Vilhena sewwa sew fuq ir-riħ tal-port. Il-quddiem saret magħrufa bħala Fort Chambray, wara Jacques François de Chambray, Gvernatur ta' Għawdex, li ħalla l-biċċa l-kbira tal-propjetà tiegħu għal dan il-proġett. Il-Forti hi llum mibdula f’kumpless residenzjali mill-isbaħ. Il-knisja parrokkjali, fi stil neo-gotiku, hija ddedikata lill-Madonna ta Loreto.
