Restoration of Fort Manoel proceeding apace

The majestic Fort Manoel is well on the way to being restored to its former glory as part of the massive Lm140-million Manoel Island and Tigné Point Development project being carried out by the Midi consortium.

Over the last few years, an expert and comprehensive assessment of this unique site was carried out, involving wide-ranging and thorough discussions under three administrations.

Fort Manoel was built by the Knights of St John to protect Valletta's north-facing bastions from artillery action from the Isoletto in Marsamxetto Harbour.

The first stone was laid in 1723 under the patronage of Portuguese Grandmaster Manoel de Vilhena and the supervision of the world-famous engineer Mondion.

The site was also adapted to meet the exigencies of later military strategies and endured numerous attacks during World War II. Although the fort's defining characteristics have survived the ravages of time, the area has frequently been the target of vandals.

The fort's rehabilitation and renovation forms the first phase of Midi's development project and is in accordance with the terms of the lease agreement.

This phase should be completed within five years while the remaining phases of the fort's renovation and its surrounding areas will be completed within 10 years. The complete restoration of Fort Manoel will cost Lm3.7 million.

All the buildings within the bastions have already undergone "first aid" interventions, consisting of a detailed survey of the buildings and any surviving fittings or fixtures as well as the collection, identification and temporary storage of loose masonry units and the cleaning up of the site.

This included the removal of recent structures such the ill-conceived concrete platform in the Place d'Armes and the removal of plants, which were damaging the fabric. The ditch was also cleared of all debris dumped there over the years.

In the Polverista, the fort's ammunition depot, much of the damaged stone has been replaced on the main and rear façades while work on the buttresses in the side elevations is moving at a steady pace. Internally, the plastering of joints and changing of stones is nearing completion.

In the casemates, internal cleaning is being carried out in the vault and adjacent areas of the Notre Dame Cavalier. This involves the removal of division walls which were not part of the original structure, the unblocking of openings and the removal of tiles from walls to be restored.

The second stage will include work on the surrounding areas, the bastions and the glacis, which is a bank sloping down from the fort which exposed attackers to the defenders' missiles.