List of fortifications in Malta

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

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

Prehistoric fortifications

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

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

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

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:

• For privately built towers, see List of fortifications of Malta#Fortified houses and privately built towers.

Batteries

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:
  • De Guiral Battery in Fort Saint Angelo
  • Grunenburgh's Batteries in Fort Saint Angelo, Valletta and Senglea
  • Low Battery in the Cittadella
  • Several other batteries within the fortifications of Birgu
• Anti-aircraft batteries built in World War II are also not included.

Redoubts

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

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

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:

• The Floriana Lines, Santa Margherita Lines and the Cottonera Lines are also lines of fortification, but they are listed with the walled cities since they are close to settlements.

Stop walls

• The 'stop wall' that plugged a fortification gap in Wied Żnuber

Fortified houses and privately built towers

• Ta' Cirpisin Tower
• Castellan Country House

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

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

References

1. Castagna, P. P. (1865). Malta bil chzejer tehne u li ghadda min ghaliha (in Maltese). Vol. 1. pp. 166–168.
2. "Maltese fortifcations" (PDF). www.um.edu.mt. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
3. "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. "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. 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.

External links