Il-Maqluba, Natural sinkhole in Qrendi, Malta.
Il-Maqluba is a large natural sinkhole in Qrendi with steep rocky walls spanning roughly 100 meters across and dropping about 15 meters down. The depression was formed when underground limestone caverns collapsed, and it sits within a landscape of Mediterranean plants and shrubs.
The sinkhole formed on November 23, 1343, following a severe winter storm and geological shifts that caused underground limestone caverns to collapse suddenly. This event created the dramatic depression that still marks the landscape today.
The site is tied to an old story about a village being swallowed by the earth as punishment, with only a devout woman surviving the disaster. A small chapel dedicated to Saint Paul still stands at the rim today, keeping this legend alive in local memory.
The site is accessible from Qrendi village via marked pathways, with viewing platforms set up for safe observation of the sinkhole. Entering the pit itself is not permitted to protect the area and its environment.
The site is home to rare local plant species like the Sandarac Gum Tree and Malta Salt Tree growing on the rocky slopes. These specialized plants alongside certain bat and bird species make the location ecologically valuable for conservation.
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