The Hal-Saflieni Hypogeum is the oldest underground temple in the world. It is one of several Megalithic Temples found on the the island of Malta that date back over 5,000 years ago. The Hypogeum is thought to have been used as a temple, sanctuary, and necropolis – some of the earliest remains found at the site were dated around 4000 BCE.
In addition to being one of the oldest temples in the world, the Hypogeum is one of the best preserved. Archaeologists believed that the Hypogeum was used until 2500 BCE and it wasn’t rediscovered until 1902. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980 and was restored over mid-2016 to early 2017.
