Formation , around 1890 The Azure Window developed through sea erosion of a limestone cliff face. The progress starts with an initial notch resulting from wave action. This space devoid of rock then causes
tensile stresses that lead to the formation of a vertical
joint extending upwards from the notch. This joint would progressively become wider, first forming a cave and eventually an arch. The end of the lifecycle of the arch is reached when erosion finally progresses so far that the roof of the arch gets heavier than the pillars can support. The arch is not mentioned in 17th- and 18th-century descriptions of the Dwejra area, which was already famous due to the nearby
Fungus Rock, so it probably did not exist then.
Giovanni Francesco Abela's 1647 book
Della Descrizione di Malta and
De Soldanis' 1746 manuscript
Il Gozo Antico-Moderno e Sacro-Profano both mention a
Tieqa Żerqa (written archaically as
Tieka Szerka) or
Għar iż-Żerqa, but this referred to the cave entrance to the nearby
Inland Sea. Therefore, it is likely that when the Azure Window formed it inherited its name from this other cave. , called the Azure Window in 17th- and 18th-century sources. The natural arch may have inherited its name from this cave The earliest known record of the Azure Window is in an 1824 illustration of the nearby
Dwejra Tower. However, it is shown in the background of the image, and it is unclear whether it was still a cave or if it had already developed into an arch. In 1866, artist
Edward Lear visited Dwejra and stated in his journal that "the coast scenery is not nearly as fine as that of Malta." The earliest recorded photographs of the natural arch were probably taken by
Richard Ellis, and they are found in an album belonging to
Michael Dundon dated 26 July 1879. The photo by Ellis was published in a book in 2011, showing contrasting difference with 20th and 21st century photos. Throughout the 20th and early 21st centuries, the arch was one of Malta's main tourist landmarks, and it was a popular backdrop in photographs.
Deterioration and partial collapses Between the 1980s and the 2000s, parts of the top slab of the arch collapsed, significantly widening the arch. Another rock fall occurred in March 2013. Four months later a geological and geotechnical report was prepared by consultant Peter Gatt, who represented local firm Geoscience Consulting Ltd, and it determined that the arch was "relatively stable and will continue to remain so for a number of years", and that there was no "imminent" risk of collapse, although it warned that rock falls will continue and it might be hazardous for people to go close to the arch. Further rock falls and fissures were reported in subsequent years. Fishermen avoided going near the arch with their boats, and warning signs were put up to discourage people from walking on top. However, many people still went on the arch regularly, and videos were uploaded on
YouTube of people
cliff diving from the window as rocks were falling down. In March 2016, Gatt warned that the illegal use of explosives at the nearby Inland Sea could have an effect on the already weak structure of the nearby Azure Window. These comments were made in the wake of an investigation by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority which revealed that explosive material was "probably used" to do rock cutting in the tunnel leading to the Inland Sea. It was suspected that the illegal cutting was aimed at widening the entrance to allow larger boats to sail through.In December 2016, an emergency order was published prohibiting people from going on the arch, trespassers facing a fine of €1500. However, this law was not enforced, and visitors were still walking on top of the arch days before it collapsed in March 2017.
Final collapse The arch collapsed at about 9:40 am
local time (8:40 am
UTC) on 8 March 2017 after a period of heavy storms, leaving nothing visible above the water. The pillar gave way first, causing the top part of the arch to collapse along with it. The pillar likely shattered into large chunks of rock as it collapsed. The collapse was said to have been inevitable. Prime Minister
Joseph Muscat and Leader of the Opposition
Simon Busuttil both tweeted about the collapse of the Azure Window, and it also became the subject of many
Internet memes on Maltese social media. The
Environment and Resources Authority called the collapse a major loss to Malta's natural heritage. The Church's Environment Commission said that the collapse should make the Maltese people reflect on their national heritage. The
San Lawrenz local council urged the government to establish a management plan for the entire Dwejra area, which includes several other notable features despite the loss of the Azure Window. On the day of the collapse, police appealed to the public not to visit the area. Diving in the area was temporarily banned, although this was not enforced and footage of the remains of the arch underwater emerged a few days after the collapse. The remains of the arch have formed a number of features which have been called a "divers' paradise", although
Transport Malta and the Environment and Resources Authority still advised the public to keep away from the area until surveys and inspections were carried out. Following the collapse, Gatt said that following his report, he had requested the arch and pillar to be monitored over a long period of time, in a bid to study the area and establish whether the pillar supporting the arch was moving, "but there wasn't any follow-up and the condition of the pillar remained unknown."
Aftermath On 9 March 2017, the government announced that it would launch an international initiative on the future of Dwejra. The options being considered include leaving the site as is, retrieving the remains of the window from the seabed and exhibiting them, creating an artificial or an augmented reality reconstruction of the window, establishing an interpretation centre or creating an art installation at the site. The government stated that the rock formation will not be rebuilt. The only response to this international call was by Gozitan developer Joseph Portelli, proposing to construct a hotel within a quarry close to the site of the Azure Window. The project would also include an interpretation area, a diving centre, an interactive museum, a sky observation centre and transport facilities. In August 2018 it was announced that the government does not plan to proceed with this proposal. In late 2018, the Russian architect Svetozar Andreev of Hoteì Russia, in collaboration with Elena Britanishskaya, announced a proposal to construct a steel structure on the site of the Azure Window. Entitled
The Heart of Malta, the project consists of a structure with polygonal mirrored steel faces, having its size and proportions based on that of the former natural arch. The structure is to include five floors containing over of exhibition space, with each floor representing a period of Maltese history. A central spiral will connect the floors together. This proposal drew mixed reactions from the public. Most respondents to online polls were in favour. In August 2019, a new street in the nearby village of San Lawrenz was named
Triq it-Tieqa tad-Dwejra (Dwejra Window Street) in memory of the natural landmark. ==Geology==