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26-467: Briconet Redoubt was built in 1715 as part of the first building programme of coastal batteries and redoubts in Malta. It formed part of the defences of Marsaskala Bay, which also included the large St. Thomas Tower and Battery and the now-demolished Żonqor Tower . Briconet Redoubt's structure is typical of most other coastal redoubts built in Malta. It consists of a pentagonal platform having short flanks, and

52-416: A rectangular blockhouse sealing off the gorge. Unlike other Maltese redoubts, the gorge and flanks have high boundary walls pierced by musketry loopholes. These were built to defend the redoubt from a landward attack, since it is overlooked by high ground. Construction of the redoubt cost 768 scudi. These were paid by the knight Giovanni Battista Briconet, and the redoubt was named in his honour. The redoubt

78-452: A ring of Victorian fortresses that protected Marsaxlokk Bay which also included Fort Delimara, Fort Tas-Silġ and Fort Benghisa . The fort was decommissioned in 1885, but was used as a Royal Air Force bomb depot between World War II and the 1960s. Nuclear weapons were also possibly stored at San Lucian during the Cold War . At some points, the fort was also used as a military prison. It

104-516: A supply base and an evacuation point in the case of the arrival of a French relief force. The plan was that as soon as French reinforcements arrived, British soldiers of the 30th and 89th Regiments of Foot would gather at San Rocco Battery , and retreat to Żabbar under the cover of San Rocco Redoubt . From there, they were to go to Żejtun , and then to Fort Rohan, from where they would embark on their ships in Marsaxlokk Harbour and evacuate

130-552: Is a large bastioned watchtower and polygonal fort in Marsaxlokk , Malta . The original tower was built by the Order of Saint John between 1610 and 1611, being the second of six Wignacourt towers . An artillery battery was added around 1715, and the complex was upgraded into a fort in the 1790s. In the 1870s, the fort was rebuilt by the British in the polygonal style. Saint Lucian Tower

156-486: Is a large bastioned watchtower in Marsaskala , Malta . It was built in 1614, the third of six Wignacourt towers . An artillery battery was added to the tower in the early 18th century. Saint Thomas Tower holds the record as the largest watchtower in Malta. Saint Thomas Tower was built above the shore on the seaward face of the headland of il-Ħamrija in Marsaskala . It is a substantial fortification intended to prevent

182-519: Is still partially intact and it is the only original one to have survived in Malta. The tower is surrounded by a rock-hewn ditch. After the De Redin towers were built, St Thomas had Żonqor and Xrobb l-Għaġin Towers in its line of sight. Currently, these are now either in ruins or completely demolished. In 1715, St Thomas Tower was reinforced by the addition of a battery on the seaward face. Construction of

208-579: Is the second largest watchtower in Malta, after Saint Thomas Tower . Today, the tower and fort are used by the Malta Aquaculture Research Centre. Saint Lucian Tower was built above the shore of Marsaxlokk Bay on the headland between Marsaxlokk and Birżebbuġa . According to local legends, a woman is said to have had a dream in which St. John advised her to tell the Grand Master to fortify the area around Marsaxlokk since an Ottoman attack

234-430: The Malta Aquaculture Research Centre. It remains in the hands of the aquaculture centre to this day, although the government is considering its relocation. The fort is in generally good condition, although some damage was inflicted on parts of it since its conversion into an aquaculture centre. The ditch is somewhat overgrown, and the casemates are empty, the guns long gone. If the aquaculture centre relocates elsewhere,

260-806: The Restoration Unit. Plans were made to open the tower as a museum about piracy in the Mediterranean, but it has not opened yet. The battery's gun platform was also restored, and its parapet and embrasures were rebuilt to a design based on modern interpretative lines. In 2014, the Marsaskala Local Council organized exhibitions, re-enactments and other events in the tower to commemorate its 400th anniversary. Fort San Lucian Fort San Lucian ( Maltese : Forti San Luċjan ), also known as Saint Lucian Tower ( Maltese : Torri ta' San Luċjan ) or Fort Rohan ( Maltese : Forti Rohan ),

286-552: The battery cost a total of 382 scudi, 8 tarì, 11 grani and 1 piccolo, which was less than the cost of construction of other batteries around the coast. During the French blockade of 1798–1800 , the tower was stormed and captured by Maltese insurgents. The tower was used by the British until the 19th century. They did not make any major alterations to the tower (like they did in Saint Lucian Tower ), other than some minor changes to

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312-401: The centerpiece of a plaza around its shoreward face. For some time, it was used as a restaurant and pizzeria . In 2008, it was handed over to Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna, a heritage foundation. A couple of weeks after it was handed over, the tower was cleaned of debris, and some modern structures which had been added when it was a restaurant were removed. Further restoration work was undertaken by

338-414: The entrenchment, to provide cover for retreating forces. Both the redoubt and the entrenchment were demolished after the blockade, and no traces of them can be seen today. When Malta fell under British rule permanently, they substantially extended the fort and the original tower now forms the core of a Victorian era fortress. Between 1872 and 1878, the battery, enclosure and the flight of steps leading to

364-467: The island. For this purpose, Saint Lucian Entrenchment was built stretching from near Ferretti Battery to Vendôme Redoubt , effectively cutting off the tower's peninsula from the rest of the island. The entrenchment was built in 1799 by the British military with the assistance of the Maltese engineer Matteo Bonavia. A diamond shaped redoubt , known as Saint Lucian Redoubt, was built some distance ahead of

390-509: The knight Laguérivière, was one of the few forts that offered strong resistance to the invading forces. After the Order left Malta, the name "Fort Rohan" fell into disuse and the tower began to be referred to as "St Lucian Tower" or "Fort St Lucian" once again. During the French blockade of 1798-1800 , Fort Rohan was chosen by the British (who were allied to the Maltese insurgents against the French) as

416-508: The landing of troops in the sheltered anchorages of Marsaskala Creek and St Thomas' Bay . Construction of the tower was approved in July 1614, at the time of the Raid on Żejtun , in which an Ottoman fleet managed to land at St Thomas' Bay. The tower was named after a chapel dedicated to St Thomas, which stood close to where the tower now lies. It cost 13,450 scudi , 6 tarì and 4 grani to build, making it

442-609: The militia. This event is known as the raid of Żejtun . The tower was originally armed with 6 cannons, as well as ammunition and other armaments. A small chapel was located within its walls, and it had a titular painting depicting the Martyrdom of St Lucian. The painting was relocated to the parish church of Tarxien in 1799. After the De Redin towers were constructed, St Lucian had Delimara Tower and Bengħisa Tower in its line of sight, but both of these have since been demolished. A semi-circular battery with an arrow-shaped blockhouse

468-822: The sea. Until the early 21st century, Briconet Redoubt was used as the Marsaskala Police Station, until this was moved to an irregular structure in a garden next to the church. Today, the redoubt is a Grade 1 national monument and is also listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands . This Malta -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Saint Thomas Tower Saint Thomas Tower ( Maltese : Torri ta' San Tumas ), also known as Fort Saint Thomas ( Maltese : Forti San Tumas ),

494-432: The second most expensive Wignacourt tower, after Saint Mary's Tower . The tower's architect is unknown. The claims that it was designed by Vittorio Cassar are disputed, since Cassar was probably dead when work on the tower began. The tower has very thick walls and has four pentagonal bastioned turrets projecting outwards on each corner. Its entrance was through a vaulted doorway with a wooden drawbridge. The drawbridge

520-415: The structure. At some point, the tower was also used as a prison. Today, the town of Marsaskala has expanded, surrounding the tower with modern buildings. In 1982, the four-star Corinthia Jerma Palace Hotel was built between the tower and the coast, effectively ruining the tower's relation with the sea. The hotel closed in 2007, and is now in a dilapidated state. Meanwhile, the tower itself now forms

546-440: The tower were dismantled, and a new polygonal fort was built instead, with the entire installation being renamed Fort Saint Lucian. The fort has caponiers , a sunken gate, and a curved entrance ramp. On the seaward side the tower has been extended to form a low battery, with three large casemates facing out across Marsaxlokk Bay towards Fort Delimara . The fort was equipped with RML 10 inch 18 ton guns . St Lucian formed part of

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572-399: Was added to the tower in 1715. Between 1792 and 1795, the tower and battery were surrounded by a ditch and enclosed within an entrenchment-like enclosure. This was designed by the engineer Antoine Étienne de Tousard , and the complex was renamed Fort Rohan after the reigning Grandmaster, Emmanuel de Rohan-Polduc . During the French invasion of Malta in 1798, Fort Rohan, then commanded by

598-707: Was handed to the Government of Malta upon independence in 1964. The tower was included on the Antiquities List of 1925. After the fort was handed to the government, it was administered by the University of Malta , initially by the Architecture Department and later as a Marine Biology Station. In 1988, it was given to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to accommodate National Aquaculture Centre, now known as

624-407: Was imminent. The woman told the parish priest, who told the bishop who in turn told Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt . The Grand Master did not give any importance to this, but that summer an attack really happened. Therefore, Wignacourt ordered the construction of St Lucian Tower, which was eventually built between 1610 and 1611. The cost of construction was 11,745 scudi, 2 tari and 6 scudi. The tower

650-465: Was initially garrisoned by militia from Żejtun , and was armed with two cannons. Briconet Redoubt is still intact and in good condition, being one of the best preserved redoubts in Malta. A few modern modifications have been made, such as the opening of a small doorway on one of its faces to enable access from the modern road. The redoubt is surrounded by modern buildings, including Marsaskala's parish church, which have completely blocked its relation with

676-862: Was named after a church in France in which Wignacourt had been baptized. The tower's design is very similar to the Wignacourt Tower in St. Paul's Bay , but on a larger scale. A flight of steps led to the tower, but this was later demolished by the British. There are claims that it was designed by Vittorio Cassar , but these are disputed since Cassar was probably dead when work on the tower began. Saint Lucian Tower first saw action in July 1614, when it fired its guns on an Ottoman fleet attempting to disembark at Marsaxlokk Bay. The Ottomans left and landed in St. Thomas Bay, and pillaged some towns and farmland before being forced to retreat by

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