Cittadella Visitors’ Centre

Gozo is one of the Maltese islands, known for its Mediterranean seascape, rugged landscape, and for being the purported home of Calypso, who wooed Odysseus in Homer’s The Odyssey. The island is also home to an ancient Cittadella, a fortress that for centuries was a place of shelter for the locals in times of war.

With EU funding secured, the Ministry for Gozo called upon Sarner to convert and restore the city’s disused water reservoirs underneath the Cittadella into an immersive visitor centre, celebrating the island’s history and reinforcing the ties that link it with Rabat and the natural landscape.

The Cittadella Visitors’ Centre is divided into two main areas. The first area is an informative exhibition, where visitors can learn about the evolution of Cittadella, as well as the nature and history of the beautiful island of Gozo. The multisensory journey leads visitors to the second area, with its dramatic finale, the 360° audio visual show, set within the impressive theatrical space created by eight high arches of the former water reservoir.

The feedback was universally positive: recent surveys revealed that an impressive 97% of visitors considered their overall experience as good or very good. It is also important to note the wider economic benefit for Gozo and its local community. By enhancing the island’s cultural identity, the project delivered a 29% boost in tourism. Local economic operators are also happy with the improvements, with satisfaction ratings increasing from 48% to 86%. Some local businesses have even extended their opening hours to cope with the fresh influx of visitors.