The picturesque Ramla il Hamra Bay in Gozo is one visited by thousands every year but not many know that a grand roman villa once stood nearby.

This photo shared by ‘8000 Years of Water’ from the National Museum of Archaeology archives shows workers excavating the remains of the same villa that were discovered in the early part of the 19^th century.

As explained by ‘8000 Years of Water’, the fact that the Roman built this villa in this exact place showcases their ingenuity.

Nestled among the sand dunes of Ramla Bay, the villa was built near the valley so they can always have freshwater close by as evidenced by the water channel that was discovered during excavations.

As a huge part of the rooms of the villa that were excavated were suspected to be used as Roman baths, it is very likely that the water channel was largely built for this purpose.

It must have been quite the sight during its hay day!