The Legend of Ghar ħasan: The Different version.
There are different versions of the legend as usual. The first one is that Hasan, a 12 century Saracen ‘rebel’ set his eyes on a fair Maiden and decided to abduct her and hide her in the cave. This raised hell with the locals and they attacked the cave. Instead of taken captive, Hasan flung the girl into the sea below and then committed suicide by jumping off the edge.
Another version is the girl was abducted and Hasan made her promise eternal love to him and she’d be freed. The girl got desperate and jumped off a cliff after which followed Hasan jumping after her.
Either version you want to choose, the fellow Hasan and the girl die so there’s no happy ending for them. There is no written evidence to suggest these stories are based on facts. Maybe someone did live and die in those caves and this legend could be a bedside story to tell children.
The Cave itself
The Caves are a wonder, surrounded with beautiful views which makes an ideal spot for a hike on a Sunday afternoon. Hasan Cave is around 387 meters in length and can be found 70 meters above sea level. The entrance of the cave is 5 meters high and 6 meters wide, with a dimension of 20 meters.
In the 1980s, some cave paintings were discovered within the cave. The art has been preserved beneath a stalagmitic layer. The cave had been badly vandalized but some of this art can still be seen. The original art was reproduced in a manuscript form and can be found in the Museum of Archaeology in Valletta.
When you think of visiting make sure you bring a good flashlight, comfortable shoes and make sure you won’t go alone not only for safety reasons but for the experience as it is truly precious.