Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum

The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum is one of the most unusual places you can visit in Malta: a prehistoric burial complex carved by hand into soft limestone, running down through three levels beneath a hill in Raħal Ġdid (Paola). It was in use between 4000 BC and 1500 BC, long before the Knights, the Romans or the Phoenicians arrived, and it is among the first Maltese entries on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Because the site is fragile, it is run as a small group visit rather than a free wander, and it is popular enough that booking early is strongly recommended. This page explains what you will see, what tickets cost, the rules to expect and how to get there, so you can plan before you book.

What the Hypogeum is and how it was found

Hypogeum is the word for an underground chamber or tomb. This one covers about 500 square metres and is made up of halls, chambers and passages hewn out of globigerina limestone, the pale, honey coloured stone that gives Maltese buildings their look. Its users dug deeper as space ran short, which is why the complex has an upper, middle and lower level.

Its discovery was accidental. In 1902 a stone mason laying foundations for new houses broke into the chambers below. By the time the monument was reported, most of the houses had been finished and occupied, and the upper level suffered damage that could not be undone. By the end of 1903 the site had become public property, and excavation continued until 1911.

The digging produced pottery, human bones, personal ornaments, small carved animals and larger figurines. One famous figurine, known as the sleeping lady, is not at the Hypogeum itself: it is on display at the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta, so our Valletta guide is a good companion if you want to see both on the same trip. The site was inscribed on the UNESCO list in 1981 as unique testimony to a vanished civilisation.

The three levels underground

The upper level is a large hollow with a central passage and burial chambers cut on each side. One of these chambers still holds its original burial deposits. The middle level is the part many visitors remember: its smoothly finished chambers echo the interiors of the above ground megalithic temples, with carved doorways, curved walls and stone beams worked into the rock.

The lowest level is the deepest. Its deepest room has four side niches and lies 10.6 metres below the level of the road. Moving between the levels, you are walking through a space that people gradually extended over many centuries.

If the Hypogeum leaves you curious about Malta's temple builders, the island has several above ground sites to compare. The Ħaġar Qim archaeological site is a good next stop, and our Hypogeum guide gives more background for planning a day around it.

Tickets, prices and discounts

Admission is €35.00 for adults aged 18 and over, €20.00 for youths aged 12 to 17, €20.00 for senior citizens aged 60 and over and €15.00 for children aged 6 to 11. Children aged 1 to 5 are not admitted. Regular tickets can be bought at any Heritage Malta site and through the Heritage Malta online store.

Last minute tickets cost €50.00. They can only be bought one day before the visit, on a first come, first served basis, and one person can buy a maximum of four, with an exception for families. A family of more than four must provide identification for every family member. Until midday these tickets are sold at Fort St Elmo and the Gozo Museum of Archaeology, and after midday also at the National Museum of Archaeology, the Domvs Romana and the Hypogeum itself.

Your Hypogeum ticket brings two extras: 50% off admission to the nearby Ħal Tarxien Prehistoric Complex, valid only for tickets bought at the door and redeemed by showing your Hypogeum ticket, and 15% off the official Hypogeum guidebook at the site shop. If you are building a wider itinerary, the museums and heritage sites directory lists other places to visit.

Rules, facilities and accessibility

Photography is not allowed inside, to protect the monument. Only 10 people may be inside at any one time, because carbon dioxide levels, temperature and humidity all change with the number of visitors, and because the spaces are small. That limit is the reason tickets sell out and why advance booking matters.

On site you will find audio guides in Maltese, English, German, Italian, Spanish, French and Japanese, a gift shop, lockers, an indoor and outdoor seating area and a nappy changing facility. The toilets are fully accessible, but the site is only partially accessible: some areas cannot be fully reached by people with mobility impairments. A virtual tour is also available if you would like a preview or cannot visit in person.

Getting there and planning your visit

The Hypogeum sits on the summit of a hill in Raħal Ġdid (Paola), not far from the Grand Harbour, and the nearest bus stop is about two minutes away on foot. It combines easily with the Three Cities guide if you are exploring that side of the harbour, and with other things on our things to do in Malta page.

Check the opening hours on the Heritage Malta booking page for your date, buy your ticket early, and leave bags in the lockers. To ask a question about visiting, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the site.