Wignacourt Tower
Watchtower in Malta / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Wignacourt Tower (Maltese: Torri ta' Wignacourt), also known as Saint Paul's Bay Tower (Maltese: Torri ta' San Pawl il-Baħar), is a bastioned watchtower in St. Paul's Bay, Malta. It was the first of six Wignacourt towers to be built, and the first stone was laid on 10 February 1610. It replaced the role of Ta' Tabibu farmhouse which was previously known as Dejma Tower. An artillery battery was added a century later in 1715. Today the tower is a museum of fortifications around the Maltese Islands.
Wignacourt Tower & Battery | |
---|---|
Torri u Batterija ta' Wignacourt | |
Part of the Wignacourt towers | |
St. Paul's Bay, Malta | |
Coordinates | 35°56′58.72″N 14°24′10.64″E |
Type | Bastioned coastal watchtower Artillery battery |
Area | 196 m2 (2,110 sq ft) |
Site information | |
Owner | Government of Malta |
Controlled by | Din l-Art Ħelwa |
Open to the public | Yes |
Condition | Intact |
Site history | |
Built | 1610 (tower) 1715 (battery) |
Built by | Order of Saint John |
Materials | Limestone |
Wignacourt Tower was the second tower to be built in the Maltese islands, after Garzes Tower on Gozo. It was also the first tower to be built on the main island. As Garzes Tower was demolished in 1848, Wignacourt Tower is now the oldest surviving watchtower in Malta.