Gharb means west in Maltese, and is the westernmost village of Gozo.
The village has one of the most architecturally perfect churches in Gozo. It is designed on Francesco Borromini’s, Sant’Agnese in Agone at Piazza Navone, Rome. It was dedicated to the Visitation of the Virgin Mary to Elizabeth. There are beautiful sculptures on the exterior and the interior.
The foundation stone of the church was laid in 1699 and the parish was transferred to this church around 1729. It was consecrated on 28 September 1755. On 19 May 1774, the second Collegiate of Gozo was founded at Gharb and the parish church became also archipresbyteral. |