Gozo’s capital, Victoria, is home to many religious and historical street artefacts but two of them have recently gone missing.

Two old stone guards previously found in Archpriest Cassar Street, in the old centre of Victoria, have seemingly vanished, heritage NGO Wirt Ghawdex said. Developed in a time when horse-drawn carriages were a popular means of transport, the protruding stone acted as street furniture and offered houses a degree of protection from carriage wheels, and later vehicle tyres.

Early examples of guard stones are classified as cultural heritage objects, and in France and Belgium, they are protected under specific cultural regulations. Unfortunately, such is not the case in Victoria with Wirt Ghawdex’s Facebook post revealing that: “Here in Victoria, they are being destroyed one after another.”

Historian Dr Joseph Bezzina deems guard stones an important part of Victoria’s heritage. He is also quoted as saying that most of the guard stones in the Gozitan capital were actually remains of a temple dedicated to Juno, which predates the Cittadella whose remains had been discovered when the Cathedral was being rebuilt between 1697 and 1711 following a major earthquake.

Wirt Ghawdex is appealing to local authorities for the guard stones to be located and re-installed at their original site. “All efforts should also be made to protect all other such stones,” said the post.

Do you have any information on their whereabouts? Contact Wirt Ghawdex here.