After the success of the recent open day activities at Fort Manoel, restoration on the historic fort is progressing at a steady pace and now includes major works to St Helen's bastions, the Notre Dame curtain wall and the fort's impressive main entrance and Couvre Porte.

Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti chairman Maurice de Giorgio and CEO Michael Lowell recently visited the restoration works at Fort Manoel. Accompanied by Midi officials Ben Muscat and James Vassallo, the foundation toured the parade ground, the newly restored chapel of St Anthony of Padua, the casemate blocks, barracks and polverista.

Among the various recent interventions viewed were works to St Helen's ditch and Couvre Porte, both nearing completion.

Clearly impressed with the quality of the restoration, Mr de Giorgio remarked, "On entering the parade ground, my first impression was one of grandeur and cleanliness. The rebirth of the badly damaged chapel together with all the surrounding buildings, after the grim battering it received in wartime, looked even better than my pre-war recollection of Fort Manoel.

"This major laudable undertaking by Midi of the restoration work of such a vast area is impressive and is rendered that much more interesting through the numerous informative panels showing the various stages of reconstruction."

Midi plc's restoration of Fort Tigné, Fort Manoel, the Lazzaretto and other sites on Manoel Island forms part of a lease agreement signed between the consortium and the government in 2000. This is considered the largest restoration initiative ever carried out by a private company in Malta - with an investment of over €30 million.

All restoration works in the project are carried out under the supervision of heritage monitors Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna.