The Għajn Rażul Fountain is closely tied to the tradition of Saint Paul’s shipwreck in Malta (60 AD). According to local legend, after the apostle and 275 survivors reached shore, the Maltese brought food and water. When more water was needed, Saint Paul struck the ground with his staff and a spring miraculously emerged, giving rise to the fountain.
The name reflects this story: għajn means “spring” and rażul derives from a Phoenician or Arabic root meaning “apostle” or “messenger.” While its exact origins remain uncertain, the lower part may have been carved from a single ancient granite block. The upper section features a statue of Saint Paul in a niche, added in 1725 under Grand Master de Vilhena, whose coat of arms appears in the inscription.
The fountain has been relocated slightly due to road works and restored several times. Today, it is protected as a Grade 1 national monument, embodying the spiritual memory of Malta’s Christian origins.
- Address
st paul bay, Malta - Web
None - Visiting Hours
Always open - What to see
Għajn Rażul Fountain, linked to the miracle of water after the shipwreck
