Fort Pembroke (Maltese: Il-Fortizza ta' Pembroke) is a polygonal fort in Pembroke, Malta. It was built between 1875 and 1878 by the British to defend part of the Victoria Lines. The fort now houses the Verdala International School.[1]
| Fort Pembroke | |
|---|---|
Il-Fortizza ta' Pembroke | |
| Part of the Victoria Lines | |
| Pembroke, Malta | |
 Entrance to Fort Pembroke | |
| Coordinates | 35°55′37.0″N 14°28′51.8″E / 35.926944°N 14.481056°E |
| Type | Polygonal fort |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Government of Malta |
| Controlled by | Verdala International School |
| Condition | Intact |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1875–1878 |
| Built by | British Empire |
| In use | 1878–1978 |
| Materials | Limestone and concrete |
History
editFort Pembroke was built by the British to defend the Grand Harbour as well as part of the Victoria Lines. The building of the fort was proposed in a defence committee recommendation in 1873, and construction took four years, starting on 24 January 1875 and finishing in December 1878.[2] The fort has an elongated hexagonal shape, surrounded by a ditch and glacis. It contained underground magazines and casemated garrison quarters. It was armed with three RML 11 inch 25 ton guns and one 64-pounder gun, which were mounted en barbette.
By the mid-1890s, the fort's armament became obsolete, and instead of upgrading, the nearby Pembroke Battery was built.[3] The fort became an ammunition depot and storage area for small arms ammunition. Its gate was widened and a fixed metal bridge replaced the original rolling bridge.
In World War II, the fort was used as a prisoner-of-war camp, housing German prisoners.[4]
The British military establishments in Pembroke were closed in 1978 and the limestone-and-concrete fort remained unused for nine years until 1987.
Present day
editVerdala International School moved to the fort from Fort Verdala in 1987.[5] Since then, the school has grown from 110 students to over 500 in 2024.[6] Due to this increase, the school has expanded to include some barrack blocks close to the fort. The campus is leased by the government to the school until 2072.[7]
The fort was scheduled by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) as a Grade 1 national monument in 1996. The protection status was revised to include the surviving glacis of the fort in 2009.[8]
References
edit- ^ "The two extremities of the Victoria Lines". Times of Malta. 20 April 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
- ^ "Places of interest". www.pembroke.gov.mt. Archived from the original on 1 February 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
- ^ Darmanin, Denis (15 September 2013). "Pembroke: from war symbol to spacious modern town". Times of Malta. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
- ^ "Fort Pembroke". festungsbauten.de. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
- ^ Debattista, R. "The Verdala Story". St Margaret College, Secondary School, Verdala. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
- ^ "About us, history". verdala.org. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
- ^ "Facilities". www.verdala.org. Archived from the original on 21 March 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
- ^ "Protecting the most significant buildings, monuments and features of Pembroke (6) - Fort Pembroke and its armaments". Times of Malta. 4 February 2010. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
