Artist Shelley Sophia

Epic ariel view of Rotundra Cathedral, in Xewkija, Gozo. This Cathedral has an impressive dome roof, that you can go up and walk around on. Apparently it is the third largest dome in Europe and is said to have been built over an ancient dolmen and other temple ruins.

Front of the Rotunda Cathedral in Xewkija. This area opens up onto a beautiful square, that hosts a few cafe’s and is a nice place to sit and relax.

(photo by Artist Shelley Sophia Crawford)

Front of the Rotunda Church, just a shot trying to show how big this place is…epic really!!

me the night of the transmission standing in front of the church, October 6th, 2021

The map/diagram I was shown in the church depicting the stages of the Rotunda Church in its different incarnations, including the outline of where the ancient temples stones were found.

I am not sure if the area shown includeds where the Dolman and 25 foot Menhir, were located, once upon a time.

photo taken with my phone

The view of Rotunda Cathedral , looking south west from Ggantija Temples.

(photo from Artist Shelley Sophia Crawford’s, cell phone, taken on Fall Equinox 2021)

View of the alignment with Ggantija from the roof of the Rotunda Church.

*also of note in this image is the mesa toped mountain across from Ggantija, where a Bronze Age settlement was found, and one adventurer, called it the “Omphallus” (or central pillar) of the island geography. Now that made me curious ;)

(photo from my cell phone)

Map of the alignments on Gozo I found on the Internet.

The Ta' Cenc - Ggantija/Xaghra alignment: (15�-193�)

This alignment runs from Ta' Cenc through the Xewkija Church and onto the Ggantija/Xaghra complex. Although the present church at Xewkija is new, it is built on the same site as previous churches in the centre of the village, which is claimed in the local guide book by Mgr. Dr. Anthony Gauci, Gozo - A Historical and Tourist Guide to the Island (1969), to be the first to be inhabited in Gozo. The book also reveals that up until the seventeenth century a large dolmen was visible on the site of the present church. It had a 15 foot square capstone and four uprights about five and a half feet high, and was used as part of the church's foundations, along with a 25 foot menhir and assorted other stones. The Ggantija/Xaghra complex conforms to the circle/mound theme found at many important megalithic sites across Europe.

The Ta' Cenc - Qala Menhir alignment (70� -250�)

The local name of the 'Qala Menhir is "Il-Hagra l-Wieqfa". It is a pock marked stone, rectangular in plan, about five and half feet on its longest sides and 13 feet tall, forming a 'needle' shape if viewed from a distance which, unfortunately is no longer possible as it is hemmed in on all sides by modern houses.  Between Ta' Cenc and the Qala Menhir is the Tal-Qighan (Borg Il-Gharib) site which is on the floor of the valley plain east of Xewkija on the road to Qala. There are two groups of megaliths on either side of the road. They are in a poor state of preservation, compared to Ggantija at least, but are so close together that they may have formed part of the same structure, perhaps a 'temple' or major observation centre. They are apparently unexcavated and little is known about them. One group of stones forms a rough circle whilst the other is a horseshoe with the open end looking towards the 13ft high QalaMenhir.

Info Found at: http://www.ancient-wisdom.com/maltatacenc.htm

Ancient Stones, looking south from Ta'Cenc Dolmen,

Apparently there are also old wagon ruts in this area as well.

Impressive view from this location

360 view of Rotunda Church, in Xewkija, from Ta'Cenc Dolmen.

Ta' Cenc: (Dolmen). This small, unimposing dolmen is located on the South coast of Gozo Island.

Ta' Cenc is the junction point of two alignments on Gozo. It overlooks the Xewkija Church (The third largest dome in Christiandom and itself built over a dolmen), behind which lies the Ggantija/ Xarghra complex. The three form an alignment across the island of Gozo. It also forms an alignment to the Qala Menhir through the Tal-Qighan cluster of megaliths.

From: http://www.ancient-wisdom.com/maltatacenc.htm

360 view from Ta'Cenc Dolmen, of the valley below and the alignment with Xewkija, and Ggantija. -with Om Ray Zahra

October Morning sunrise behind Rotunda Church, as seen from my house, 2021.