A unique wealth of fortifications
Malta's strategic location, excellent natural harbour and malleable stone proved to be the staying power of the Knights of the Order of St John who exploited its features. The island owes its unique wealth of fortifications to geography, to the Knights and to the British.
The Order transformed Malta into one large fortress on the volatile border between the two superpowers of the time: the Spanish and Ottoman empires. The Knights, with their eye on aesthetic appeal, brought to Malta the leading military engineers of their day to design the fortifications.
The British commitment to fortification materialised in the early 1870s following the opening of the Suez Canal that gave Malta renewed strategic importance. By this time, the art and science of warfare had changed so much that the British-built defences were altogether different: efficient and impersonal, lacking aesthetic appeal but enjoying technical ingenuity and firepower.
Fortress Malta 360°, out with The Times tomorrow, conveys the breathtaking visual qualities of Malta's military architectural heritage. Enrico Formica's inspired photography shows in sublime format these fortifications in their environs: majestic essays of force countering force, of grace under pressure.
The Miranda 360° Collection is printed by Progress Press, a member of the Allied Group. The issue is printed on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper. FSC is an international, non-profit organisation that promotes the responsible management of the world's forests and helps ensure they will not be destroyed for future generations.
Tomorrow, the price of The Times will increase to €1 from 60c.
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Christian Sciberras
Feb 7th 2010, 01:00
Aha! Good one!
Jesmond Micallef
Jan 28th 2010, 21:30
Christian Sciberras.
After removing the asbestos, I would have turned it into a small "mushroom" farm !!! Its dark, cool and also humid. Rather symbolic no !!!!
Christian Sciberras
Jan 28th 2010, 09:44
Jesmond Micallef - Just one thing, the "nuclear bunker" is hardly useful (considering the limited area) and barely habitable.
Jesmond Micallef
Jan 27th 2010, 15:27
Indeed, the Island Fortress of Malta. But what about Mdina, Rabat, Malta or the Cittadella, Rabat, Gozo !!. Fortified cities built by the Arabs during their stay. Those are also part of the fortifications of the Islands.
I was reading here lately about the Nuclear Bunker built in Mosta by the British. That is also a fortification. Nuclear weapons off course,devices of "mass erasure" that make the nuclear club of nations think twice between themselves, while jeopardising the existence of the non-nuclear club of nations in the process !!
Luqa airport does have an underground facility, also built under the British, called the "Quarry Ops" if I'm not mistaken. It lies within the airport boundaries with no public access. There are rumours that there were nuclear weapons stored there too.
Indeed superpowers of all eras all helped themselves to whatever the island had to offer. Make it soft but robust limestone, natural harbours and off course strategic position. The thing is, that fear still seems to rules. Indeed Malta is a "rock solid" reminder of all that history but the principle of "Mutual Destruction" still prevails. !!!
History is pretty much still present !!!
With my best wishes.
victor pulis
Jan 27th 2010, 12:07
Ironically the picture above shows Senglea's land font. If one looks closely one will be able to see that part of the bastion (roughly in the centre of the picture) is missing. This is due to war damage. Some years ago this part of ST. Michael's bastion was restored but the said missing corner was not restored as was the case with D'Homedes bastion in St. Angelo. several letters were written on this subject in the Times by myself and other correspondents but as usual the pleas fell on deaf ears.