Tarxien - Central Temple

The Central Temple, more than 23 meters high, is unique in Malta for having three pairs of apses rather than two and was built after the South and East Temples. The predominant feature is the reddening of the stone, possibly caused by an inferno that marked the end of the temple-building period 4,500 years ago. The central court is striking, built by huge slabs of limestone. There are two bowls in the left apse, the larger of which was hewn from one piece of rock. Entry to the third pair of apses, and what may have been the priests' inner sanctum, is barred by the finest and most powerful carving here, the oculus motif stone.