Naxxar

Naxxar (Maltese: In-Naxxar) is a town in the Northern Region of Malta, with a population of about 13,443 people as of March 2014. The Naxxar Church is dedicated to Our Lady of Victories. The annual village feast is celebrated on 8 September. Naxxar was formerly known for hosting the Maltese International Trade Fair at Maltese International Trade Fair Grounds.

The Naxxar Locality is spread over an area of 11 square kilometres (4 sq mi) and has a population of over eleven thousand persons. The whole locality comprises the Naxxar centre, Sgħajtar area, Santa Marija tax-Xagħra, San Pawl tat-Tarġa, Birguma, Magħtab, Salina, Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq and part of Madliena.

Naxxar is famous for its cart ruts (cart tracks) that curve and twist down the Great Fault escarpment.

Origin of the village

It is not easy to determine when Naxxar started to become a village. What is sure is that thousands of years ago, there already existed some form of habitation in Naxxar. This is evidenced by the caves at Tal-Qattara and at Ta’ San Brinkaw; megalith remains of the Bronze Age period at Tal-Qadi and at Qaliet Marku; the cart ruts which start at Salina up to it-Targa and appear later on near the Ghadira tal-Wej and which are probably of the Bronze Age; Punic tombs at the Naxxar Primary School and it is said also in St George Street and Leli Falzon Street; as well as the Catacombs at Salina and Maghtab.