Following an extensive conservation project that brought it back to its former splendour, according to Times of Malta, Gozo's oldest tower will be made accessible to the general public for the first time as an interactive museum.

A three-year, €355,000 initiative led by the Munxar Local Council will culminate this week with the opening of the Xlendi Tower, which will showcase the findings. During the restoration process, workers discovered, among other things, formerly unrecorded, centuries-old wall frescoes.

For the first time, pottery artefacts discovered on a Punic shipwreck buried beneath the seabed of Xlendi will be exhibited within the tower.

The items, which were discovered just a few meters from the tower, were uncovered by British divers in the early 1960s and are believed to be a part of a shipwreck that is at least 2,000 years old.

After being equipped with solar panels and batteries that will allow it to be self-sufficient, the tower has also been given its first electrical charge.

Xlendi Tower, a picturesque coastal gem nestled in Gozo, Malta, stands as a testament to the island's rich history and architectural charm. This historical watchtower, built in the 17th century, overlooks the serene Xlendi Bay and offers breathtaking panoramic views of the azure Mediterranean Sea.

With its sturdy stone walls and strategic position, the tower served as a defensive stronghold against maritime threats and played a crucial role in safeguarding the island.

Wall frescoes that had never been seen before were discovered during construction. The paintings, which are not particularly complex but are hundreds of years old, depict a crucifix, what appears to be an altar, a rural village landscape, and other signs of a decorative pattern.

Just a few meters from the tower, the museum will also include pottery artifacts from a Punic shipwreck that is thought to be at least 2,000 years old.

The artifacts were formerly among numerous amphorae discovered in the shipwreck and are now a part of a Heritage Malta collection that the organization has lent to the council. The artifacts and the accompanying exhibits provide important insight into the type of trade routes and economic activity that were evident at Xlendi as early as 2,000 BC.

The Munxar Local Council, the Parliamentary Secretariat for Local Government, and EU money helped pay for some of the restoration work on the tower.

The tower will be officially opened on Thursday, and on June 17th and 18th, two open days will allow the general public to tour it for the first time.