One World - Protecting the most significant buildings, monuments and features of the Maltese islands (32)

This entrenchment is located on the coast between Spinola Bay and St George's Bay. It is a coastal fortification built by the Order of St John between 1767 and 1770 to retard potential enemy landings at this part of the island.

The entrenchments originally extend from Spinola Bay to Il-Qaliet and continued to St George's Bay. The fortified system consists of a shallow rock cut ditch which served as a quarry for a three- to four-metre high wall built on the principles of baroque fortifications consisting of two curtain walls adjoining three bastions. New gun embrasures were added in 1792 and further military-related improvements were made by the British in the 19th and 20th centuries.

During the 20th century several breaches were made to accommodate development and vehicular, pedestrian and boat traffic. This is one of the best kept stretches of coastal entrenchments of the type, more especially in the areas of Sliema and St Julians. The gateway located within the entrenchment was built together with Dragonara Palace in 1870.

Mepa scheduled the Spinola entrenchment as a Grade 1 national monument as per Government Notice no. 628/08 in the Government Gazette dated July 12, 2008.