Manikata

Manikata is a small village in the limits of Mellieħa in the northwestern part of Malta. It oversees the farming areas in the valley between il-Ballut and il-Manikata. Population 539, Families 40.

The main industry of Manikata is farming. The valleys around this village are rich in produce. All year round the fields are tended and the produce is enjoyed by many. Grapes, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, melons (bettiegħ), water melons (dulliegħ), apples, oranges, pomegranates (rummien), strawberries and many other crops are commonly seen in the fields. Also there are many beekeepers in this area.

Literally translates into “Apple’s Spring”. It is located just east of Golden Bay, one of three bays (Gnejna Bay, Għajn Tuffieħa & Golden Bay) carved out of the cliffs. It is situated at the bottom of Wied tal-Pwales (Pwales stream.) The sea is deep blue and aquamarine water interspersed with emerald and white stretches of sand.

Golden Bay (Il-Mixquqa) is another one of the few sandy beaches located on the southern coast of Malta. The sand at the edge of the water at this bay is peppered with small pebbles and reaching the water can be tricky. The water here can be quite rough at times. As you swim away from the beach, the currents can be quite strong. This is one of the best places for sunsets on the Maltese islands. The water shimmers as the sun hits the horizon.

A lot of cart ruts are found around Manikata. These probably date to a period between the Bronze Age and the Roman Era. One particular line of cart ruts surfaces from under the trees in the Miżieb area, proceeds towards the parish church and goes towards the cliffs hanging above Mejjiesa Bay.

In the area of Il-Ġnien ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa there are the remains of Roman baths that formed part of a rural villa. Nearer to Manikata there are several Roman tombs. Some of them have been obliterated when people cut across the cliff side to level the ground and make space for their fields. Other tombs are found in caves and have been modified by subsequent cave inhabitants to be used as storage space. Some tombs were used as air-raid shelters during World War Two.

During the Middle Ages, the lands at Għajn Tuffieħa and Manikata were used for the cultivation of crops and fruit trees. Fields belonged to land owners from the capital city, Mdina, and its suburb, Rabat. The farmers usually inhabited the caves in the vicinity. The caves also housed sheep, goats and oxen. People also used to come here to collect fire wood. A night watch was kept over the sea cliffs of Għajn Tuffieħa by men from Mosta forming part of the civil corps called Dejma.

On the 18th of May 1565 the Turkish fleet anchored in the bays around Manikata, namely Mejjiesa, Mixquqa (Golden Bay), Għajn Tuffieħa and Ġnejna. The following day it arrived at Marsaxlokk Bay to the South East where Turkish soldiers landed to begin their assault on Birgu, the general headquarters of the Order.

...
Wikipedia