Valletta – Malta’s Azure Window, a fascinating natural rock formation, has been destroyed, following strong winds on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat was among the first to relay the news in a tweet: “Reports commissioned over the years indicated that this landmark would be hard hit by unavoidable natural corrosion. That sad day arrived.”
The stunning geography of the area was created thousands of years ago when two limestone caves collapsed.
Photo taken on Nov. 28, 2015, in Gozo, Malta shows the view of the Azure Window. (Credit Image: © Jin Yu/Xinhua via ZUMA Wire) Photo: Jin Yu/Zuma
The arch, among Malta’s biggest tourist attractions, was immortalized in several films and in an episode of the popular television series “Game of Thrones.”
In January 2016 rough seas had exposed the fragility of the site, with waves breaking off a large slab at the base of one of its cliffs.
In January, the authorities imposed a fine for anybody walking over the rock arch, to try to stop its disintegration.
The Azure Window, located on Malta’s sister island of Gozo, is also overwhelmingly popular among divers.
Rough winds hit the Mediterranean island on Tuesday and Wednesday, even halting the ferry service between Malta and Gozo for a number of hours.
-dpa
