As you walk across the busy Mosta pjazza of nowadays, you may not realise that you are treading on centuries of history! Known as Ta' Bistra Catacombs, the complex is the largest known burial site beyond the confines of Malta’s ancient capital city.

As part of the Mosta Open Weekend - Vetrina tal-Lokalità taking place this weekend, history lovers will have the rare opportunity to visit the Ta’ Bistra Catacombs free of charge.

On Sunday 30th March, there will be free entry from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, while on Monday 31st March (a public holiday!), visitors can enter for free from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Note that last admission is 30 minutes before closing on both days, and regular admission fees apply on Sunday before 4:00 PM.

Nestled within an ancient quarry, Ta’ Bistra Catacombs hold the title of the largest complex of Roman tombs outside the historic city of Melite (modern-day Mdina and Rabat). Dating back to the 4th century AD, this fascinating site shows early Christian burial traditions, including arched window tombs and triclinia.

First unearthed in 1933 and extensively excavated again between 2013 and 2014, the complex originally consisted of 16 different burial clusters with nearly 60 tombs in total. The quarry itself underwent multiple phases of extraction, with some sections predating the burials, offering a glimpse into the site's evolving history over centuries.

Ready to discover some ancient secrets in the bowels of Mosta?