St Thomas' Bay

[1][2] Historically, the bay formed part of the nearby town of Żejtun,[3] which lies immediately uphill of the inlet.

The bay and Munxar point are popular with residents of Żejtun and other inland villages for swimming, hunting and bird-trapping.

[4] Some historians contend that St Thomas' Bay marks the true landfall of Paul the Apostle following his shipwreck on Malta.

[7] A large fortress, St Thomas tower was built at the tip of Il-Gżira ta' Wied il-Għajn in 1614 after an Ottoman fleet anchored in the bay and raided Żejtun.

The headland takes its name from a number of stacks, long since eroded into submerged reefs, which used to extend into the Mediterranean sea from Munxar point.

St Thomas' Bay, with Munxar headland in the background.
In this 1681 map, the name La Serta is used to describe the stacks and reefs at the tip of Munxar Bay.
In this 1748 map, the group of stacks are called La Serra , the Italian word for a saw , a tool which in Maltese is called munxar.
Four sea stacks can be seen in this 1767 map by John Brekell, in his book Euroclydon: or the dangers of the sea considered and improved, in some reflections upon St. Paul's voyage and shipwreck.
An abandoned gun battery used during the french occupation of malta.
Munxar headland today. St Thomas' Bay can be seen in the background.