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List of fortifications in Malta

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This is a list of fortifications of Malta.[1]

Map of the fortifications of the Grand Harbour and Marsamxett in 1803.

Prehistoric fortifications

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Name Image Location Built Status
Baħrija   Rabat Bronze Age Scant remains[2]
Borġ in-Nadur   Birżebbuġa c.1450 BC One bastion intact[3]
Nuffara   Xagħra Bronze Age Scant remains[2]
Qortin St. Paul's Bay Bronze Age Scant remains[2]
Ras il-Ġebel Mġarr Bronze Age Scant remains[3]
Wardija ta' San Ġorġ Siġġiewi Bronze Age Scant remains[3]

Walled cities

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Name Image Location Built Builder Status
Birgu   Birgu c.13th–18th centuries   Order of Saint John Mostly intact, undergoing restoration
Cittadella   Victoria Antiquity–1622[4]   Crown of Aragon
  Order of Saint John 		Intact. According to Ramon Muntaner (1283) a prominent Aragonite tower existed on the site in the whereabouts of the arch/remains of a Siculo-Norman style villa.[5] A number of outer towers were places outside the Citadel.[6]
Cottonera Lines   Cospicua
Birgu 		1670–18th century   Order of Saint John Mostly intact[7]
Floriana Lines   Floriana 1635–18th century   Order of Saint John Mostly intact[8]
Mdina   Mdina Antiquity–1746   Order of Saint John Intact, restored
Santa Margherita Lines   Cospicua 1638–1736   Order of Saint John[a] Partially intact
Senglea   Senglea 1552–18th century   Order of Saint John[a] Partially intact
Valletta   Valletta 1566–1570s   Order of Saint John[a] Mostly intact, partially restored

Forts

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Name Image Location Built Builder Status
Fort Benghisa   Birżebbuġa 1910–1912   United Kingdom Intact, neglected
Fort Binġemma   Rabat 1875–1878   United Kingdom Intact, illegally occupied
Fort Campbell   Mellieħa 1937–1938   United Kingdom Ruins
Fort Chambray   Għajnsielem 1749–1760s   Order of Saint John Intact, redeveloped[9]
Fort Delimara   Marsaxlokk 1876–1888   United Kingdom Intact, restoration proposed
Fort Leonardo   Żabbar 1872–1878   United Kingdom Intact, restoration proposed
Fort Madalena   Swieqi 1878–1880   United Kingdom Intact, used as a rescue corps headquarters and training school[10]
Fort Manoel   Gżira 1723–1733   Order of Saint John Intact, restored
Fort Mellieħa Mellieħa 1940s   United Kingdom Intact, restored
Fort Mosta   Mosta 1878–1880s   United Kingdom Intact, used as an ammunition depot
Fort Pembroke   Pembroke 1875–1878   United Kingdom Intact, used as a school
Fort Ricasoli   Kalkara 1670–1693   Order of Saint John Intact, neglected
Fort Saint Angelo   Birgu 13th century–1690s   Order of Saint John Intact, undergoing restoration
Fort Saint Elmo   Valletta 1552–1570s   Order of Saint John Intact, restored
Fort San Lucian   Marsaxlokk 1872–1878   United Kingdom[b] Intact, used as an aquaculture research centre
Fort Saint Michael   Senglea 1552–1581   Order of Saint John Demolished, part of the base survives
Fort Saint Rocco   Kalkara 1872–1900   United Kingdom Intact
Fort San Salvatore   Birgu 1724   Order of Saint John Intact, neglected
Fort Tas-Silġ   Marsaxlokk 1879–1883   United Kingdom Intact, used as an animal sanctuary
Fort Tigné   Sliema 1793–1795   Order of Saint John Intact, restored
Fort Verdala   Cospicua 1852–1856   United Kingdom Intact, used as housing estates and a school

Towers

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See also: Punic-Roman towers in Malta
Name Image Location Built Builder Status
Castro Interiore Birgu c. 1274 Angevins Modified[11]
Birgu Clock Tower   Birgu Medieval-Order of St John Modified to be used as a clock tower and then destroyed in WWII
Burmarrad Tower Burmarrad 1494 Replaced by another tower in 1618 in the close proximity[12]
Aħrax Tower   Mellieħa 1658   Order of Saint John Intact, abandoned
Bengħisa Tower Birżebbuġa 1659   Order of Saint John Demolished
Birkirkara Tower   Birkirkara c. 16th century Intact
Blat Mogħża Tower Mġarr c. 1637   Order of Saint John Collapsed
Captain's Tower   Naxxar c. 1550s   Order of Saint John Intact
Cavalier Tower   Qrendi Unknown Unknown Intact
Delimara Tower   Marsaxlokk 1659   Order of Saint John Demolished
Dwejra Tower   San Lawrenz 1652   Order of Saint John Intact, restored
Garzes Tower Għajnsielem 1605–1607   Order of Saint John Demolished[13]
Għajn Ħadid Tower   Mellieħa 1658   Order of Saint John Ruins
Għajn Tuffieħa Tower   Mġarr 1637   Order of Saint John Intact, restored
Għallis Tower   Naxxar 1658   Order of Saint John Intact, restored
Ħamrija Tower   Qrendi 1659   Order of Saint John Intact, restored
Isopu Tower   Nadur 1667   Order of Saint John Intact, restored
Lippija Tower   Mġarr 1637   Order of Saint John Intact, restored
Madliena Tower   Pembroke 1658   Order of Saint John[a] Intact, restored
Marsalforn Tower Xagħra 1614–1616   Order of Saint John Collapsed, some ruins remain
Mġarr ix-Xini Tower   Għajnsielem 1661   Order of Saint John Intact, restored
Nadur Tower   Rabat 1637   Order of Saint John Intact
Orsi Tower Kalkara 1629   Order of Saint John Destroyed
Qawra Tower   St. Paul's Bay 1638   Order of Saint John Intact, used as a restaurant
Saint Agatha's Tower   Mellieħa 1647–1649   Order of Saint John Intact
Saint George's Tower   St. Julian's 1638   Order of Saint John[a] Intact, in the grounds of a hotel
Saint Julian's Tower   Sliema 1658   Order of Saint John Intact, used as a restaurant
Saint Lucian Tower   Marsaxlokk 1610–1611   Order of Saint John[a] Intact, used as an aquaculture research centre
Saint Mark's Tower   Naxxar 1658   Order of Saint John Intact, restored
Saint Mary's Tower   Għajnsielem 1618   Order of Saint John Intact, restored
Santa Maria delle Grazie Tower   Xgħajra 1620   Order of Saint John Demolished
Saint Thomas Tower   Marsaskala 1614   Order of Saint John Intact
Sciuta Tower   Qrendi 1638   Order of Saint John Intact, restoration planned
Torre dello Standardo   Mdina 1725-1726   Order of Saint John Intact
Tal-Għassiewi Tower[14] Zabbar[15] Arab period Ruins
Tal-Wejter Tower   Birkirkara 17th or 18th century   Order of Saint John Intact
Triq il-Wiesgħa Tower   Żabbar 1659   Order of Saint John Intact, restored
Wardija Tower   Żurrieq 1659   Order of Saint John Intact
Wignacourt Tower   St. Paul's Bay 1610   Order of Saint John Intact, used as a museum
Xlendi Tower   Munxar 1650   Order of Saint John Intact, undergoing restoration
Xrobb l-Għaġin Tower Marsaxlokk 1659   Order of Saint John Ruins
Żonqor Tower Marsaskala 1659   Order of Saint John Demolished
Għajn Żnuber Tower   Mellieħa Unknown Possible a dejma post in origins; present structure a 19th-century watch tower Intact, partially restored and partially reconstructed
Wied Żnuber Tower Birżebbuġa 16th century   Order of Saint John Unknown (no longer exists)[16]

Notes:

Batteries

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Name Image Location Built[c] Builder Status
Aħrax Tower & Battery   Mellieħa 1715   Order of Saint John Intact, abandoned
Arrias Battery   St. Paul's Bay 1715   Order of Saint John Intact, used as a restaurant
Balbani Battery Birżebbuġa 1715   Order of Saint John Demolished
Buġibba Battery   St. Paul's Bay 1715   Order of Saint John Demolished, ditch survives
Cambridge Battery   Sliema 1878–1886   United Kingdom Intact, restoration planned
Capuchin Convent Battery   Kalkara 1799   Maltese insurgents Demolished
Corradino Batteries   Paola 1798–1799   Maltese insurgents Demolished
Delimara Tower & Battery Marsaxlokk 1793   Order of Saint John Demolished
Della Grazie Battery   Xgħajra 1888–1893   United Kingdom Intact, restoration planned
Dellia Battery   St. Paul's Bay 1715   Order of Saint John Demolished
Elminiech Battery Birżebbuġa 1715   Order of Saint John Demolished
Fedeau Battery Mellieħa 1715   Order of Saint John Demolished
Ferretti Battery   Birżebbuġa 1715   Order of Saint John Intact, used as a restaurant[17]
Garden Battery   Sliema 1889–1894   United Kingdom Intact, restoration planned
Għallis Battery Naxxar 1715   Order of Saint John Ruins
Għargħar Battery   San Ġwann 1798   Maltese insurgents Demolished
Jesuit Hill Battery   Marsa 1799   Maltese insurgents Demolished
Lascaris Battery   Valletta 1854–1856   United Kingdom Intact
Lembi Battery Sliema 1757   Order of Saint John Demolished
Maħsel Battery Marsaskala 1714   Order of Saint John Demolished
Marsa Battery   Marsa 1798   Maltese insurgents Demolished
Mistra Battery   Mellieħa 1761   Order of Saint John Intact, restored
Pembroke Battery   Pembroke 1897–1899   United Kingdom Partially demolished, one gun emplacement survives.
Pinto Battery   Birżebbuġa 1715   Order of Saint John Heavily altered
Qalet Marku Battery   Naxxar 1715   Order of Saint John Ruins
Qawra Tower & Battery   St. Paul's Bay 1715   Order of Saint John Intact, used as a restaurant and swimming pool
Qolla l-Bajda Battery   Żebbuġ, Gozo 1716   Order of Saint John Intact, abandoned
Ramla Left Battery   Xagħra 1715   Order of Saint John Ruins
Ramla Right Battery   Nadur 1715   Order of Saint John Ruins
Riħama Battery   Marsaskala 1714   Order of Saint John Mostly intact, restoration planned
Rinella Battery   Kalkara 1878–1886   United Kingdom Intact, restored
Saint Anthony's Battery   Qala 1731–1732   Order of Saint John Intact, restored
Saint Julian's Tower & Battery   Sliema 1715   Order of Saint John Battery partially intact, tower intact
Saint Lucian Tower & Battery   Marsaxlokk 1715   Order of Saint John Battery demolished, tower intact
Saint Mary's Battery   Għajnsielem 1715   Order of Saint John Intact, restored
Saint Mary's Battery Żebbuġ, Gozo 1715   Order of Saint John Demolished
Saint Paul's Battery   Marsaxlokk 1881–1886   United Kingdom Intact, abandoned
Saint Peter's Battery Kalkara 1798   Maltese insurgents Demolished
San Petronio Battery Kalkara 1602   Order of Saint John Destroyed, ditch survives
San Rocco Battery   Kalkara 1798–1799   Maltese insurgents Demolished
Saint Thomas Tower & Battery   Marsaskala 1715   Order of Saint John Tower intact, battery rebuilt on modern interpretative lines.
Saluting Battery   Valletta 1560s   Order of Saint John Intact, restored
Sliema Batteries Sliema 1798   Maltese insurgents Demolished
Sliema Point Battery   Sliema 1872–1876   United Kingdom Intact, used as a restaurant
Spinola Battery St. Julian's 1889–1894   United Kingdom Demolished
Ta' Għemmuna Battery St. Julian's 1799   Maltese insurgents Demolished
Tal-Borg Battery   Tarxien 1798   Maltese insurgents Demolished
Tarġa Battery   Mosta
St. Paul's Bay 		1887–1890s   United Kingdom Intact, restoration planned
Tas-Samra Battery   Ħamrun 1798   Maltese insurgents Demolished. The church around which the battery was built still exists.
Tombrell Battery Marsaxlokk 1722   Order of Saint John Demolished, ditch survives
Vendôme Battery Mellieħa 1715   Order of Saint John Intact, dilapidated
Westreme Battery   Mellieħa 1715   Order of Saint John Blockhouse intact, gun platform destroyed
Wied Musa Battery   Mellieħa 1715   Order of Saint John Gun platform intact, blockhouse heavily altered
Wignacourt Tower & Battery   St. Paul's Bay 1715   Order of Saint John Battery mostly intact, tower intact
Wilġa Battery   Marsaxlokk 1714   Order of Saint John Blockhouse intact, gun platform destroyed
Wolseley Battery   Marsaxlokk 1897–1899   United Kingdom Intact
Żabbar Batteries   Żabbar 1798   Maltese insurgents Demolished
Żejtun Batteries   Żejtun 1798   Maltese insurgents Demolished (one cannon remains)
Żonqor Battery   Marsaskala 1882–1886   United Kingdom Intact, used as a farm

Notes:

  • Batteries located within larger fortifications are not included in the above list unless they are notable in their own right. Such batteries include:
  • Anti-aircraft batteries built in World War II are also not included.

Redoubts

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Name Image Location Built[c] Builder Status
Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq Redoubt   Naxxar 1715   Order of Saint John Intact, used as a bar[18]
Briconet Redoubt   Marsaskala 1715   Order of Saint John Intact, used as a police station
Crivelli Redoubt Mellieħa 1715   Order of Saint John Ruins
Del Fango Redoubt Marsaxlokk 1715   Order of Saint John Demolished
Fresnoy Redoubt Birżebbuġa 1715   Order of Saint John Demolished[17]
Marsalforn Tower   Xagħra 1720   Order of Saint John Demolished
Mellieħa Redoubt Mellieħa 1715   Order of Saint John Demolished
Perellos Redoubt St. Paul's Bay 1715   Order of Saint John Demolished
Qalet Marku Redoubt Naxxar 1715   Order of Saint John Demolished
Qortin Redoubt Mellieħa 1715   Order of Saint John Partially intact
Ramla Redoubt   Xagħra 1715   Order of Saint John Demolished
Saint George Redoubt   Birżebbuġa 1715   Order of Saint John Intact[17]
Saint Lucian Redoubt Marsaxlokk 1799   Kingdom of Great Britain Demolished
Saint Mary's Redoubt Għajnsielem 1716   Order of Saint John Demolished
San Rocco Redoubt Kalkara 1799   Kingdom of Great Britain Demolished
Spinola Redoubt Birżebbuġa 1715   Order of Saint John Demolished[17]
Tal-Bir Redoubt   Mellieħa 1715   Order of Saint John Ruins
Vendôme Tower   Marsaxlokk 1715   Order of Saint John Intact, used as a football club headquarters
Windmill Redoubt   Żabbar 1798   Maltese insurgents Demolished. The windmill around which the redoubt was built still exists.
Ximenes Redoubt   Naxxar 1715   Order of Saint John Intact, restored
Xwejni Redoubt Żebbuġ, Gozo 1715   Order of Saint John Demolished
Żabbar Redoubt   Żabbar 1798   Maltese insurgents Demolished

Entrenchments

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Name Image Location Built[c] Builder Status
Bengħisa Entrenchment Birżebbuġa 1761   Order of Saint John Demolished[17]
Birżebbuġa Entrenchment Birżebbuġa 1761   Order of Saint John Partially intact
Falca Lines   Mġarr
St. Paul's Bay 		1723–1732   Order of Saint John Ruins
Għajn Tuffieħa Entrenchment Mġarr   Order of Saint John Partially intact
Louvier Entrenchment Mellieħa 1761   Order of Saint John Never completed
Largely intact
Madliena Entrenchment Naxxar   Order of Saint John Short stretch intact
Naxxar Entrenchment   Naxxar 1722   Order of Saint John Partially intact
Qawra Point Entrenchment   St. Paul's Bay 1761   Order of Saint John Short stretch survives in ruins
Qbajjar Entrenchment Żebbuġ, Gozo   Order of Saint John Few remains survive
Ramla Entrenchment Xagħra 1720   Order of Saint John Few remains survive
Saint Julian's Entrenchment   St. Julian's   Order of Saint John Short stretch intact
Saint Lucian Entrenchment Marsaxlokk 1799   Kingdom of Great Britain Demolished
Spinola Entrenchment   St. Julian's 1761   Order of Saint John Partially intact
Ta' Kassisu Entrenchment Mellieħa 1761   Order of Saint John Never completed
Largely intact
Xgħajra Entrenchment Żabbar 1761   Order of Saint John Short stretches intact
Xrobb l-Għaġin Entrenchment Marsaxlokk 1761   Order of Saint John Ruins
Żewwieqa Entrenchment Għajnsielem 1761   Order of Saint John Ruins

Notes:

  • Entrenchments were originally planned to be built around the entire coastline of the Maltese Islands. The ones listed here are those of which some remains survive, or which are definitely known to have existed.

Lines of fortification

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Name Image Location Built Builder Status
Corradino Lines   Paola 1871–1880   United Kingdom Mostly intact
Victoria Lines   Rabat
Mġarr
Mosta
Naxxar
Għargħur 		1875–1899   United Kingdom Partially intact[19]

Notes:

Stop walls

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Fortified houses and privately built towers

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Name Image Location Built Builder Status
Sant'Angelo Tower Birżebbuġa 1702 or 1775 Viani Destroyed during WWII[20]
Armoury   Siġġiewi Intact
Bubaqra Tower   Żurrieq c. 1579 Don Matteolo Pisani Intact
Cardona Tower   Għarb Cardona family Intact. Built before 1649.[21] Also known as tas-Sarretta Tower.[22] Intact but machicolations removed. They appear to were still partially intact on 21 August 1933.[23]
Castello Lanzun   San Ġwann 15th century–1713 Wenzu Lanzun Intact
Gauci Tower   Naxxar 16th century Francesco Gauci Intact
Gourgion Tower Xewkija 1690 Giovanni Gourgion Demolished, some stonework survives
Ingraw Tower   Żejtun 1603 Clemente Tabone Dismantled; stonework used to build farmhouses[24][25]
Mamo Tower   Marsaskala 1657 Gregorio and Giorgio Mamo Intact, restored
Mari ta’ Qerqni Tower Birżebbuġa Unclear Intact, converted into a farmhouse
Sant'Antnin Tower Żejtun Destroyed during WWII[25]
Santa Cecilia Tower   Għajnsielem 1613 Fra Bernardo Macedonia Intact
Ta' Bettina Tower   Marsaxlokk c. 1740 D'Aurel Family Intact
Tal-Buttar Tower   Marsaskala Intact and used as a rural building with a close by watermill.[26]
Tal-Gardiel Tower   Marsaskala Intact
Tal-Mozz Tower   Żejtun 1628 Intact.[25] Also known as Tal-Kwies Tower.[27]
Wied il-Qoton Tower Birżebbuġa 18th century Unprofessionally modified in 1758
Verdala Palace   Siġġiewi 1586 Hugues Loubenx de Verdalle Intact

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Some alterations were made by the   United Kingdom
  2. ^ The fort was built around a tower of the   Order of Saint John.
  3. ^ a b c Some dates are approximate

References

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  1. ^ Castagna, P. P. (1865). Malta bil chzejer tehne u li ghadda min ghaliha (in Maltese). Vol. 1. pp. 166–168.
  2. ^ a b c "Maltese fortifcations" (PDF). www.um.edu.mt. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  3. ^ a b c "Bugeja" (PDF). www.viatransfer.viastoria.ch. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  4. ^ Cassar, George (2014). "Defending a Mediterranean island outpost of the Spanish Empire – the case of Malta". Sacra Militia (13): 59–68.
  5. ^ Attard, Anton F (2012). "Il-Castrum Terre Gaudisii u l-Origini tal-Matrici tal-Assunta f'Ghawdex". Festa Santa Marija (9). Leone Philharmonic Society: 70–77.
  6. ^ https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/bitstream/123456789/15356/1/Barumbari%20Giren%20and%20Mgiebah%20-%20Vernacular%20gems%20in%20oblivion.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  7. ^ "Data" (PDF). www.um.edu.mt. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  8. ^ "Info" (PDF). www.um.edu.mt. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  9. ^ "Forzi" (PDF). www.um.edu.mt. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  10. ^ "Fortizza" (PDF). www.um.edu.mt. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  11. ^ Vella, John (2016). "The Rock-cut Church of Bormla: Origins and Developments" (PDF). Journal of Maltese History. 5 (1). University of Malta: 60. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 June 2018.
  12. ^ Guillaumier, Alfie (2002). Bliet u Rhula Maltin. Vol. 1. Klabb Kotba Maltin. p. 129. ISBN 99932-39-15-1.
  13. ^ "It-Torri ta' GarΩes" (PDF). www.um.edu.mt. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  14. ^ "thinksite.eu" (PDF). www.thinksite.eu. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-06-29. Retrieved 2018-06-29.
  15. ^ "Lehan" (PDF). www.um.edu.mt. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  16. ^ "Fortifikazzjonijiet f'Birżebbuġa". 19 August 2011.
  17. ^ a b c d e "Batterji" (PDF). www.um.edu.mt. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  18. ^ "Data" (PDF). www.um.edu.mt. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  19. ^ "Victoria lines" (PDF). www.um.edu.mt. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  20. ^ "300 Sena ilu nbniet Il-Kappella ta' Sant'Anġlu ta' Ħal Far". sanpietru.wordpress.com. 19 July 2011.
  21. ^ "page 98" (PDF).
  22. ^ "Old Photos Catalogue" (PDF). National Archives, Malta: Gozo Collection. Planning Authority: 48. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 May 2020.
  23. ^ "It-Torri ta' Cardona, Gharb, Road Rabat, Gozo". Europeana. Archived from the original on 30 May 2020.
  24. ^ Bugeja, Anton (2014). "Clemente Tabone: The man, his family and the early years of St Clement's Chapel" (PDF). The Turkish Raid of 1614: 42–57. Archived from the original on 20 June 2018.
  25. ^ a b c Abela, Joe; Brincat, Anthony M. "Santa Maria ta' Ħal Tmin ~ Żejtun ~". Kappelli Maltin (in Maltese). Archived from the original on 20 June 2017.
  26. ^ Independent, Malta (2006-06-18). "Irrational With Marsascala: shocking building proposals for scheduled properties". The Malta Independent. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  27. ^ "Tal-Kwies Tower – PLAKKASTORJA". Plakkastorja.home.blog. 15 December 2018. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
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