Heritage Malta wants to tap €10 million in EU funds to restore Fort St Angelo in Vittoriosa and turn the historic jewel into a heritage and cultural experience.
The heritage agency has prepared plans to upgrade various parts of the fort, retaining all the structures that pre-date 1979, when it was last used by the British navy.
The price tag is, however, an initial estimate because the final bill depends on what work is carried out once excavations start.
The majestic beauty of the fort from the outside, however, belies the state of degradation it is in with parts being in serious risk of collapse.
Sitting ominously at the tip of the Vittoriosa peninsula with the best vantage points over Grand Harbour, Fort St Angelo was described by Tourism Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco as one of Malta’s iconic symbols. He was speaking at the end of a media tour of works being carried out by Heritage Malta.
The government voted €1.5 million in this year’s Budget for emergency repair works to the outside ramp, main entrance and the De Guiral battery, which are in a pitiful state.
The British had rebuilt the main entrance using iron beams after it sustained a direct hit in World War II. The beams are all rusted and have caused deep cracks in the walls. These will now be removed and the two stone vaults will be built to restore the entrance.
Exploratory archaeological works have already started and emergency interventions are expected to begin in October.
The initial works have already yielded some interesting finds according to architect Ruben Abela, who is heading Heritage Malta’s works. The debris from World War II and which was used to buffer the outside ramp has already been removed and important remains such as coat of arms have been found.
The emergency works also include the removal of a swimming pool, built on the ramparts in the early 1980s, and a water tower. Mr Abela said the earth beneath the pool could hold some interesting information dating back to mediaval times and would require careful excavation.
He said the 1979 cut off was established because it was the last date when the fort was used as a military base by the British. Interventions by the British were also part of the fort’s history such as the tunnels dug beneath the fort at the start of the war so that the military could transfer underground all above ground operations during air raids.
Mr Abela explained that some pre-1979 structures might be removed if the fort’s archaeological value was increased by such interventions.
Dr de Marco said Heritage Malta was in talks with the Order of the Knights of St John and the Cottonera Waterfront Group, both of which occupied parts of the fort, to encourage cooperation and a single vision for the whole fort.
Restoration works students from the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology, who are doing their apprenticeship with Heritage Malta, form part of the team carrying out the works.
Tonnes of debris have already been removed from various areas of the fort, including remains of fireworks that used to be let off from the top part of the fortification for the feast of St Lawrence.