Saint Paul's Bay is one of the numerous inlets of the island of Malta. It is a place of reference, and holds an ancient and interesting history, especially because this is the place where the shipwreck that brought St. Paul the Apostle of Christ to this island took place. It is after the Apostle of Gentiles the place is named. The village is situated about ten miles (sixteen kilometers) from Valletta, on the north coast of Malta.

The limits of St. Paul's Bay stretch along the coast from Salina to Mistra. Going inland the boundaries take us as far as Ghajn Rihana, Pwales, Tal-Imdawra, Manikata and San Martin, and as far as the cross roads at Ghajn Tuffieha which lead to Mgarr and Mosta. It incorporates also Wardija, Bugibba and Qawra and Burmarrad.

St. Paul's Bay is surrounded by vales and hills. The land is all around is fertile. Burmarrad valley is renowned for its vegetables and grapes. Although the fields are small and terraced the diligent farmer toils his lands carefully and helped by nature's favour the product is aboundant.

HISTORY: A quick glance around we see that the St. Paul's Bay, Bugibba and Qawra area takes us in the prehistoric times, around 6000 years before Christ. The place was excellent for fruit-gatherer, hunter and fishermen. Their graves still exist on Mistra ridge and takes us to 3800 B.C.

NEOLITHIC PARIOD: (3800c-2800B.C.) The remains of megalithic temples exist at Bugibba engulfed within the New Dolmen Hotel, another at Tal-Qadi close to Salina, and the third on the Mistra ridge overlooking Xemxija, 500 meters west of the graves mentioned above. All three temples had a "trefoil plan". Decorrated blocks with 'fish vertebrae' and the 'Imperial Sargus' (E. Black Tail) from the Bugibba temple are now on display at the Archeological Museum at Valletta.

BRONZE AGE (2500-1200B.C.) With the coming of the Bronze Age, fortified villages were set up. Man from 'Otranto', Italy fortified Malta, including the area around St. Paul's Bay and became the 'Island Fortress'. The fortresses were set at Wardija Hill, another on 'QALA' and a third at 'Bajda Ridge' (Mistra). Cart-ruts of this period can be seen at Salina. Wardija, St. Paul's Bay, Mistra Ridge and 'San Martin'.

PHOENICIAN AND CARTHAGINIAN (800-218B.C.) The Phoenicians used the headlands of St. Paul's Bay especially Salina to barter their wares. Later when the Carthaginians settled in Malta they built the first walled town. This was situated where Rabat and Mdina now stand. But Carthaginian graves are common too at Wardija ridge, San Martin and Mistra.

ROMAN BISANTINE PERIOD (218B.C.-870A.D.) In 218 the Romans conquered Malta. During this time Malta was treated as a municipal. But what rests most in the mind of many is the shipwreck of St. Paul. In November of the year 60 A.D. an Alexandrian corn-ship upon which 276 persons were traveling ton Rome shipwrecked in this Bay. Saint Luke the Evangelist who was traveling with St. Paul and therefore a witness, relates that: "on landing we discovered that the Island was called Malta… the inhabitants showed showed us great courtesy. For three months we were the guests of the Chief of the island whose name was Publius" who had a villa thought to be where St. Paul Milqi rests today. Thus they had enough time to know everything about Malta and this place, and the account is most accurate. A late Roman Christian catacomb can be seen at Salina by the Chapel of the Annunciation. Various other Roman remains can be found at Bajda Ridge where a Roman cobbled road can also be traced.

ARAB PERIOD (870-1091 A.D.) In August 870 A.D. the Arabs landed at St. Paul's Bay and proceeded to capture Malta. Although St. Paul's Bay was their port, being closest to Mdina no Arab remains are found in this place. Yet one can notice a look-out situated at Tunny Street which can take us to this period. During this time Moslem religion prevailed, and Christianity was subdued to cathacombs.

NORMAN PERIOD (1091-1194 A.D.) Count Roger of Normandy in 1091 staged a mock attack from St. Paul's Bay to draw the attention of the Arabs while his men attacked Mdina, and conquered Malta. Tradition has it that we owe the Maltese flag to Count Roger. His flag was that of the Hauteville family which consisted of a series of red and white squares of which he cut two squares and gave it to the maltese as a sign of being part of his kingdom.

ARAGONESE AND CASTILLIAN (1284-1530 A.D.) It was off St. Paul's Bay that the Aragonese fleet ventured into the Grand Harbour in 1283, where they ousted the Angevin fleet at St. Angelo. Thus the maltese islands passed in the hands of the Aragonese.

During this period Christian and Muslim pirates landed frequently in this bay, and proceeded inland for slaves and booty. The largest landing took place at St. Pal's and Salina in September 1429 (23rd to 26th) when 70 galleys with 18000 moslems led by Al Qaid Ridwan ransacked the countryside and captured 10000 maltese. From that year onwards St Paul's Bay including all the north coast of the island was considered 'uninhabitable'.

KNIGHTS OF MALTA (1530 - 1798 A.D.) The Knights of St. John as they were known at the time came to Malta in 1530. But for the first sixty years nothing was done to defend the north coast of Malta. But, previous to the Great Siege (1565), Grand Master Jean De La Vallette constructed the salt-pans at Salina. These replaced those already existant at Mellieha, close to Ghadira Bay. Their production exceeded local consumption, thus exportation started to different countries. These pans fell in disuse in 1798 but the British repaired them and proved to be very profitable in the early years of the nineteenth century.

In 1565, August 1st the Maltese Calvary led by the Knight Boisberton ambushed the crew of a Moslem Galley at Ghajn Rasul. In the attack two Moslems were killed and three captured. On September 8th the defeated moslem fleet left Marsamxett harbour and sailed towards St. Paul's Bay from where they gathered the wounded and the retreating army. Three days later they sailed from here to mark the end of the Great Siege of Malta.

WIGNACOURT's TOWER (1610 A.D.) This coastal tower was built during the time when Alof de Wignacourt was Grand Master of the Order that ruled Malta (1601-1622). Its foundation stone was laid on February 10th 1610 and finished during the same year. It oversees the approach to the whole bay, and defended the area from any invaders. The Tower consisted of two rectangular vaulted chambers on top of each other. The entrace was through the main door situated at the first floor and it was provided with a drawbridge reached by a staircase. This provided some sort of defence. The stairs were removed in the sixties to make way and widen the road.

FORTIFICATIONS: In 1658 other fortifications were built, a battery with six guns at Mistra; two more batteries at id-Dellija and Xemxija and another Tower at Qawra Point. Another Tower was built on the other side of Salina during the reign of Grand Master (1567-1660).

THE FRENCH PERIOD: St Paul's Bay was once more in the fore front of action when on Sunday 10th June 1798, General Bara guey d'Hilliers, with his genoese squadron, landed his men at Mellieha and St. Paul's Bay capturing 150 prisioners. Three days later another French fleet ransacked the area and desecrated the chapels on their way to Egypt. On the uprising of the Maltese in September of the same year, one of the first places occupied and defended for the remaining period happened to be the towers of St. Paul's Bay.

THE BRITISH PERIOD (1800-1964 A.D.) In 1799 February 1st a meeting between the Maltese leaders and Alexander John Ball was held at St Paul Milqi, in the area of Burmarrad, at that time pert of St. Paul's Bay. They discussed the problem caused by the French who were steeling all the wealth of the Island. A plan was made to pave the way for the british to help once the French were overcome.

On Sptember 5th 1800 is the day when the French surrendered. Captain George Martin on HMS Northumberland left St. Paul's Bay to the Grand Harbour and take over the French warship anchored within the creeks within. During this period St. Paul's Bay had a more quiet time and developed into a summer resort for the locals and later on many hotels were built to cater for the many tourists that visit the country.

WORLD WAR II (1939-1943): This quiet place attracted several wealthy people of the Island. Several villas were built. Throughout the war most of these villas were requisitioned by the services and served as a "giant rest camp". An air-sea rescue base became stationed in this area. All beachposts from Mistra to Qawra were manned by the Manchesters. From the middle of May, till the beginning of June 1943, every nook and corner of St. Paul's Bay was crammed by the 8th Army and the Americans. On 6th June 1943 "Operation Husky" was on from St. Paul's Bay and on September 8th Italy surrendered and part of the Italian fleet anchored at the protected area.

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