In the seventies, the statue of the Risen Christ was placed on the 320 feet high Tal-Merzuq Hill. It can be seen on the way to Marsalforn Bay. For the adventurous people there is also a rough path, which leads all the way up to the top of the hill.
There are several legends surrounding this hill, some saying it was once a volcano, others that beams of light were once seen to come out of the hill. The first statue was placed on the hill in 1904 when Gozo was consecrated to Jesus the Redeemer. Hence the hill became popularly known as ‘Tas-Salvatur’, meaning ‘saviour’. It replaced a wooden cross that had been erected previously. The statue was not resistant to the elements and had to be replaced in the sixties. However the new statue was also destroyed during a thunderstorm when its supporting pedestal gave in. Parts of this statue can still be seen strewn around the hilltop. Today’s statue is made of reinforced concrete and is thus more resistant to the elements.
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