Here’s a detailed account of Fungus Rock, one of Gozo’s most unique natural and historical landmarks:
Fungus Rock - Il-Ġebla tal-Ġeneral
📍 Location
Dwejra Bay, in the limits of San Lawrenz, Gozo.
Fungus Rock (Il-Ġebla tal-Ġeneral).
Coordinates: approx. 36.046935, 14.188793.
🌍 Natural Formation
Composed of hard coralline limestone.
Geologically formed by coastal erosion breaking it off from the mainland cliffs.
Appears like a giant boulder fortress in the sea.
Its sheer vertical sides make it almost inaccessible without ropes.
🌿 The “Maltese Fungus” (Cynomorium coccineum)
Despite its name, it is not a true fungus, but a parasitic flowering plant.
Dark, fleshy, club-shaped growths.
Grew only on Fungus Rock and in very few other Mediterranean locations.
Believed by the Knights of St John to have powerful medicinal properties:
Used as a styptic (to stop bleeding).
Prescribed for dysentery, ulcers, and reproductive issues.
So valuable it became known as the “Knights’ Fungus” or “Malta Fungus.”
🏰 Historical Significance
The plant’s rarity made Fungus Rock strategically important.
Under the Order of St John (17th century):
Grand Masters declared it state property.
Dwejra Tower (1652) was built specifically to guard the rock and its plant as well as the bay.
Guards stationed to prevent theft of the fungus.
Offenders caught stealing it faced severe punishment, sometimes death.
The Knights used ropes and baskets to descend the cliff and harvest the plant.
📜 Later Use & Decline
The plant’s medicinal reputation declined with the progress of modern medicine in the 18th–19th centuries.
By the British period, Fungus Rock had lost much of its strategic importance.
Still remained a point of scientific interest and natural curiosity.
🏛️ Present Day
Fungus Rock is a protected nature reserve.
Landing is prohibited without special permission to preserve its fragile ecosystem.
A key feature of the Dwejra Heritage Area, attracting visitors for its natural beauty.
Popular with photographers, hikers, and divers (the waters around the rock are rich in marine life).
🗂️ Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
| Height | ~60 m |
| Material | Coralline limestone |
| Local name | Il-Ġebla tal-Ġeneral |
| Historic plant | Cynomorium coccineum (Maltese Fungus) |
| Guarded by | Dwejra Tower (built 1652) |
| Access | Restricted (nature reserve) |
| Modern status | Protected site, part of Dwejra Heritage Park |
✅ Summary:
Fungus Rock is not just a striking natural sea stack but also a site of great historical and medicinal importance. Guarded fiercely by the Knights of St John for its “miracle” plant, it remains one of Gozo’s most iconic landmarks and is now a protected natural reserve.
How to get there
🚗 By Car (easiest option)
From Victoria (Rabat, Gozo’s capital):
1. Drive west towards San Lawrenz (10–15 minutes).
2. Follow signs to Dwejra Bay / Azure Window.
3. Continue downhill until you reach the Dwejra parking area near the Inland Sea.
4. Fungus rock can be view from below the tower is a short walk uphill to the left (south side of the bay).
✔️ Free parking is available close to the tower.
🚌 By Bus
From Victoria Bus Terminal: take Bus 311 (Victoria ↔ Dwejra).
Get off at the Dwejra stop (last stop).
From there, it’s a 5-minute walk to the tower.
🚶 On Foot
Popular hiking area — you can walk from San Lawrenz village (~25–30 minutes downhill).
Scenic coastal walks connect Dwejra to Ta’ Ċenċ cliffs and other heritage sites.
