The first written mention of Qala appears in a portolan from the fifteenth century housed in the Vatican Library. Because of its proximity to ondoq ir-qala Rummien's (port), the area has adopted that descriptor. The hamlet of Gozo is the island's farthest east point. In the second half of the 1700s, the current town was established. The coastline of Qala is mostly rocky, with the exception of a few sheltered inlets such ondoq ir-Rummien. Gar Minka is one of the sea caves along the coast that can only be reached by watercraft. [3] Qala, on the island of Gozo, is the most eastern settlement, making it the most remote from Victoria but also the most accessible to the rest of the Maltese archipelago.

Sheltered harbor or bay is what its Arabic and Maltese names mean, and the coat of arms features a Gozo boat navigating difficult waves. Saint Joseph's Church, the parish church of the settlement, was constructed by Dun Guzepp Diacono between 1882 and 1889 and is the center of the community's religious life. Like many other churches on the island, it was designed in the baroque style. The church of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady served as the parish church from the time of Qala's official parish status on February 3, 1872, until 1889.

On March 19, 1882, the cornerstone was set for what would become Saint Joseph Parish, and on May 8, 1904, the church was dedicated. The salt pans, a well-preserved windmill, and ancient ruins are only a few of the historical sites in and surrounding Qala. Some of the longest cart ruts (parallel tracks worn into the rock) on Gozo stretch for more than 180 meters (590 feet).