The name of Marsaxlokk is derived from the words meaning South East Harbour. When the Phoenicians traveled straight from Tyre and Sidon (modern) Lebanon, they used to enter into this safe harbour and travel to the place known as Tas-Silġ, where, among other important buildings archeologists discovered remains of a Temple dedicated to Astarte.
Little is known about this village during the Middle Ages. During the hey day of the Turkish Empire however, when its warriors used to land and attack Zejtun, the village was practically deserted because of the danger of being killed or captured and sold as slaves. But as the power of the Turkish Empire and pratical attacks diminished, the village began to grown gradually. Today this village has grown and developed into a tourist attraction, with its simple lifestyle.
The first time when population is mentioned was in 1890, numbering 210 souls. At first, this village was considered to be a summer resort and many people from towns and villages afar used to pass the three summer months. As time passed however, people came to stay the whole year round. According to the census of 1961, the population numbered 778. In the year 2006, the population rose to 3,200.
Streets in Marsaxlokk
Abdosir Str : called after one of the two Carthaginian brothers who wrote a prayer to the God Melqart. The prayer was inscribed on two marble coloumns.
Arznell Str : Arznell is a kind of fish which was commonly caught by fishermen in fish pots up to a few years ago.
Axtart Str : called after the goddess Axtarte / Tanit. This goddess was adored by the Phoenicians and Cathaginians and her temple was at the top of Tas-Silg hill.
Bahhara Str : “Bahhara” means sailors. This street commemorates all those who go to sea.
Bathelemy Str : called after Abbe Barthelemy who was an expert in Oriental languages. He succeeded in translating the Phoenician writing on the marble coloumns.
Bir Rikka Str : Bir means well. In the vicinity of the street, a well was found which was used by both the Carthaginians and later the Turks.
Bizantini Str : This is called after those people who came from Byzantium. These people constructed a church to Our Lady on top of Tas-Sil[ Hill, on part of the site where there were the temples of Juno and Axtarte.
Busbiesi Lane : “Busbies” is the fennel plant. Once here there were fields full of fennel.
Cicerun Str : Cicerun was a Roman senator who showed great interest in Malta. Once he accussed the Roman Governor Caius Verres for stealing many precious things from the temple of Juno at Tas-Sil[.
Cippi Str : “Cippi” means small coloumns. These two coloumns were found at Marsaxlokk in the year 1694 A.D. On these two coloumns there was a prayer inscribed in Greek and Phoenician to the God Melqart.
Delimara Str : Delimara is a peninsula which forms part of Marsaxlokk harbour.
Dun Salv Gatt Str : Dun Salv was a parish priest. He spent 27 years working fro the spiritual and material needs of our parish.
Duncan Str : a certain Spiru Baldacchino and his wife Marianne had a small hotel on the corner of this street. Probably this name came into being because in 1914 Scottish soldiers from the Royal Artillery stationed at the Fort in Delimara used to come to Marsaxlokk for a drink.
Felukka Str : “Felukka” was a kind of sailing boat.
Firilla Str : “Firilla” was another swift rowing boat.
Galjazz Str : “Galjazz” was a kind of ship with sails. This was used also in case of fighting on the water.
L-Gholjiet ta’ Juno Str : This is up Tas-Sil[ Hill. At about 218 B.C. when Malta was under the Romans rule, the Romans built a temple on this hill. The temple was dedicated to the Roman godess Juno. This was the third temple built on this particular hill.
Gifen Str : “Gifen” was another kind of warship. It used sails and was helped along by means of oars.
Gorg Gravina Str : Gorg Gravina came from Marsaxlokk. Her had his political ideals and when he died he was buried outside the cemetery boundaries.
Gulino Maniscalco Str : Another gentleman from Marsaxlokk who started a business building and mending fishing boats. This successful trade was later continued by members of his family.
Hal Ginwi Farm Houses : “Hal Ginwi” is the valley running between Marsaxlokk and St. Nicholas Church, outside the limits of Zejtun. In this area were found Neolithic, Phoenician and Roman remains. During the 17th Century the first inhabitants of Marsaxlokk began to settle in this area.
Immaculate Conception Str : called for our Lady Immaculate. It was given this name because this street was inhabited by people who came to Marsaxlokk from Cospicua. Among them was the family Darmanin.
Imriekeb Str : “Mrikeb” the singular of imriekeb was another big ship which was used both for sails and oars.
Marnisi Farmhouses : The name was derived form Marnisi promontory and Marnisi palace. The palace was built in 1683 by the Noble Giacomo and Theodora Testaferrata. In the palace we find a small chapel dedicated to St. Dominic.
Xprunara Str : Another kind of swift ship which used both sails and oars.
Kajjik Str : A kind of small fishing boat still used by our fishermen.
Kavallerizza Str : “Kavallerizza” means a place where horses are kept. This was built about 1611/12 during the reign of Grandmaster Alofde Wignacourt so that the knights stationed in the Tower of St. Lucian could leave their horses there.
Labour Str : In 1976 the Labour Government built the Housing Estate and this is one of its streets.
Lepanto Str : On 7th October of 1571 the Christian fleet destroyed and scattered the Infidel fleet at the battle of Lepanto in Greece. This Victory was dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary.
Luzzu Str : Another fishing boat still in use by our fishermen. This is bigger than the Kajjik.
Maqdes ta’ Guno Str : called so after the third temple built on top of Tas-Sil[ Hill. Before this temple there were the Neolitic and the Phoenician / Carthaginian temples.
Marsaxlokk Str : the people of |ejtun called it so because they used to walk along this road everyday their way to work.
Melqart Str : called after the Phoenician / Carthaginian God. Although there were quite an assortment of temples built on Tas-Sil[ Hill, according to the Italian Archaeological mission (1963). Melqart Temple wasn’t one of them. This was built nearer to Marsaxlokk Harbour.
Pompei Str : called so after Our Lady of Pompei.
Port Ruman Str : called so for when Malta was occupied by the Romans, they used Marsaxlokk Harbour and called it “Portus Herculis”
Xatt is-Sajjieda : so called for the fishermen who grew up and lived in its nieghbourhood. At first this street was called “Strada Marina”, later on it became known as “Marsaxlokk Quay” and finally in 1976 it became known as Xatt is-Sajjieda.
Our Saviour Str : Named for Christ Our Saviour.
St. Francis Str : named for St. Francis of Assisi.
St.Joseph Str : named for St. Joseph on one of its corners there is a niche with a statue of St. Joseph in it.
St. Pius V Str : called after a saintly Pope who had great devotion towards Our Lady of the Rosary. He encouraged the Christians to recite the Rosary before and during the naval battle of Lepanto. Pope Pius V had also asked the Catholic Kings to help financially and otherwise in the building of the city of Valletta.
St. Andrew Str : called after the patron Saint of Fishermen. In 1791 a statue of this was erected facing the harbour. Because of this the bay became known as St. Andrew’s Bay.
St. Anthony Str : called after St. Anthony of Padova.
St. Catherine Str : called after St. Catherine of Alexandria. People from |ejtun and |urrieq came to live at Marsaxlokk so this was one of the main reasons for the devotion shown towards St. Catherine.
Tas-Silg Str : This street leads up to Tas-Sil[.
Tower Str : This street begins from where there is the statue of Our Redeemer goes all the way through Marnisi and Xerriek and ends infront of St. Lucian’s tower.
Vittorio Cassar Str : called after the architect in charge of the building of the Tower of St. Lucian Vittorio was one of Giloramo Cassar’s children.
Wilga Str : Here there was a stretch of marsh land where bamboo and other marsh plants grew in profusion.
Xambekk Str : Another kind of ship that used both sails and oars.
Xerriek Str : This street was built on a narrow footpath that led through land known as Xerriek.
Xini Str : Another type of warship which used sails and oars. Both the Turks and the French used many of these warships when they attacked our islands.
Xorb il-Ghagin : This name is derived from the neighbourhood where the first Maltese settlers chose to have a Neolithic Station. At a certain time in the vicinity there was a picture of Our Lady of Sorrows. The fishermen used to land here and light candles or oil lamps infront of the picture.
Zejtun Rd : This leads to Zejtun and also to Bir id-Deheb. This road begins from Marsaxlokk village square up to where were we find the niche of Our Redeemer