Interior of Comino tower to be restored

Gemma Mifsud Bonnici, chairman of the Vodafone Malta Foundation, yesterday presented Martin Scicluna, executive president of Din L-Art Helwa, with a cheque to mark the first tranche payment that will enable the heritage organisation to continue with its restoration of the Santa Marija Tower on Comino.

The exterior restoration of the fort, including its floodlighting, was completed just over a year ago after a two-year operation.

Thanks to the donation, Din l-Art Helwa can now proceed with its plans to improve the interior of the tower to make it accessible and safe for visitors.

This will entail the removal of the debris which has accumulated inside the tower over many decades, securing the stairs that give access to the spectacular 360 degree view from the roof of the tower over the Gozo and Malta channels, as well as cleaning the internal walls and floors.

DLH also intends to introduce interpretation schemes that will enable the visitor to appreciate the historic value of the fort and its important natural environment.

The Santa Marija Tower was built in 1618 during the reign of Grandmaster Adolf de Wignacourt who personally financed the 18,628 scudi (the equivalent of about Lm1,000) in order to consolidate the defences of the straits between Malta and Gozo.

The tower was probably designed by Vittorino Cassar, son of Girolamo Cassar, who succeeded Laparelli in the building of Valletta.

Its location on a small hill 230 feet above sea level gave it a unique vantage point controlling defences between Fort Chambrai, Garzes Tower in Mgarr - which was demolished - the Red Tower in Mellieha and the White Tower at Armier.

Its bulk was a remarkable feat of military engineering with walls that are one foot thick and a podium that is embedded firmly in the natural bedrock.

After the Order of the Knights left Malta, the British Services formally occupied the tower in 1829 after which it continued to be used to control smuggling and enforce quarantine regulations.

Vandalism and neglect set in when the Royal Malta Fencible Artillery finally withdrew from the tower in 1870. In recent years, the tower was manned as a look-out post of the Armed Forces of Malta.