When Malta's iconic Azure Window—a limestone formation on the island of Gozo—crashed into the sea after heavy storms in March, the nation practically went into mourning. It had long been a major tourist attraction and a frequent TV and movie set (including on Game of Thrones), and its sudden, violent destruction was acutely felt by both locals and visitors. The country's prime minister called the landmark's destruction "heartbreaking," and tourists descending on Tieqa tad-Dwejra, as its known in Malta, took to Tripadvisor with scathing reviews of the now window-less seashore. But now, as long as you're scuba certified, there's good news: After falling into the sea, the attraction has been reborn as one of the most sought after diving sites in the Mediterranean.
As the Telegraph reports, the first images from intrepid divers wanting to look at how the Azure Window landed onto the ocean floor have surfaced, and the consensus is that it's beautiful in a whole new way. Spread in a range from 16 to more than 100 feet underwater, the arch has broken into giant limestone chunks, creating a network of passageways and canyons that will attract a whole a new crop of tourists who seek out underwater views, rather than those on land.
"It's a loss to those who live above the surface, but for those who dive it’s one of the best things that has happened to Gozo,” one diver told the Telegraph.
The site was already a popular scuba spot, known as the Blue Hole, where divers could weave through shallow pools and meandering tunnels before entering the open ocean, but the addition of a few tons of limestone have only made it more appealing. Marine life has reportedly started to make homes out of the structures, however, as fish can be seen darting through the new maze, and plant life has begun to grow between the cracks. Over time, the sharp edges will smoothen and marine life could completely take over, making the Azure Window almost unrecognizable, so you'll have to book your trip soon to fully enjoy the rock formations.
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