Information
Landmark: Kordin III TempleCity: Paola
Country: Malta
Continent: Europe
Kordin III Temple, Paola, Malta, Europe
Overview
Perched on Corradino Heights near Paola, the Kordin III Temple is one of Malta’s quieter treasures, a prehistoric site where weathered stone still holds the island’s deep past.Perched among a cluster of temples on the Kordin plateau, it’s the only one still standing in a form you’d recognize, its weathered stones offering a rare glimpse into Malta’s vibrant Neolithic Temple Period (3600–2500 BCE).Between 1909 and 1911, Thomas Ashby and T. led the excavation of the site, uncovering its long-buried past beneath layers of sunbaked earth.Just the single letter E, bold and sharp like a road sign.Peet tapped his name on the desk with one finger, the sound sharp in the quiet room.Later studies have deepened our understanding of Kordin III, a striking part of Malta’s megalithic temple culture, famed for towering stone walls and intricate spiritual traditions.Its sister sites, Kordin I and II, were lost to urban sprawl and industrial expansion.Built with precise stonework and designed for ritual, Kordin III shows the remarkable skill and ceremonial life of its creators.Number one.The Kordin III Temple follows a trefoil, or cloverleaf, plan typical of Malta’s prehistoric sites, with a central corridor opening into three distinct apses that hint at different ceremonial roles; its massive limestone blocks still hold patches of original paving, trilithon doorways frame shadowed passages, and a stone altar with a small oracle hole recalls ritual offerings and whispered messages, while a modern canopy shields it from sun and rain so the artifacts found here-pottery, tools, and more-can keep telling the story of this quieter, less-visited cousin to Tarxien or Ġgantija.Still, it’s a key piece of Malta’s prehistoric story.Though fewer people make the trip, you can visit it easily from Paola or Marsa.Nearby, explore the UNESCO-listed Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, step into the grand Paola Parish Church, or take in sweeping views over the historic Grand Harbour.In the end, the Kordin III Temple stands as a quiet, windswept reminder of the island’s ancient past.With its one‑of‑a‑kind design and deep archaeological importance, it’s a must‑see for history lovers eager to trace Malta’s past layer by layer, from weathered stone walls to worn temple steps.
