On the south-west coast of the island of Malta on a large open plain facing the Mediterranean, you can find two neolithic temples. These are some of the oldest religious structures in the world, dating to 4,000 BC. Mnajdra is the one that is a huge solar-oriented temple.

Mnajdra is significant for human history since it has this solar orientation. Just like Stonehenge, no one knows why the solar orientation exists but it is clear that this is intentional.

I’ve written about Maltese temples before, including the only subterranean Neolithic temple in the world – the Hypogeum.

When the sun rises in the east, it first has to rise above the level of the small hill beside the temple. The sun’s rays hit the temple once it is already daylight.

On the spring and autumn equinoxes, the earth is not tilted towards (or away from) the sun. At this angle, the sun’s rays penetrate straight through the door to the lower temple and illuminate the axis of the building.

On the spring and winter solstices, the earth is tilted furthest towards (or away from) the sun. At this angle, the sun’s rays penetrate along the door jamb to illuminate megaliths on either side of the central passage. These megaliths have some form of decoration on them that still lasts to this day.

The significance of this illumination, of the megaliths, or of the solar calendar is unknown. Studies suggest that such an ancient culture would have been an agrarian society. Perhaps knowing the equinoxes helped them tend to their crops. However the Mediterranean climate is predictable and it would be possible to do this without such a large temple.

Based on archeological remains, historians think that the place was used for ritual ceremonies. Animal remains were found in the temples and so this could have been a religious site of sorts.

There’s a menhir in Prague that may have been used for astrological purposes too.

Research over the years has tried to figure out this site. There is no obvious foreign influence for no similar structures exist outside of Malta. In other words, the Maltese inhabitants created these temples on their own for some unknown reason. Other studies have linked these structures to claims of global sacred geography.

The only way we have to date these structures is by carbon dating the archeological remains found in the temple. For all we know, the temples are much older than we think. Indeed, some theorise that there may be other temples and signs of civilisation on the Mediterranean sea bed. The ice caps melted around 15,000 years ago and this caused the Mediterranean sea to form. Before this, there was a land bridge to Sicily and Italy. What if people lived in the valleys (what is now the sea bed) and created their temples on the highest mountains for some reason? The tips of these mountains are now what we call the Maltese islands.

I’ve written an article about the genetic make up of the people living in the nearby town of Żurrieq.

You can go and see dawn breaking on the solstices and equinoxes but booking is highly recommended. To see this properly you need to be inside the temple and there is limited space. I had the pleasure of being there for the summer solstice and for the spring and autumn equinoxes. Witnessing this astronomical phenomenon in person is a magical moment and well worth the early wake up call.

Have you seen a solstice or equinox at Mnajdra? Do you want to?