The extensive restoration on the Vittoriosa fortifications, and now on Fort St Angelo, which has been going on for quite some time, has emphasised the beauty of these bastions, the same that withstood the 1565 siege.

Tribute must be given the team of experts and architects who worked hand in hand with our skilful masons and artisans and for the modern repair techniques adopted, the equipment used and the sophisticated materials applied.

There is only one thing which is nowglaringly missing: the name-plaques ofthe various defences that used to hang on the fortifications.

These gave the names of each particular bastion and the garrison that manned it, the same names that existed during the Great Siege and are recorded in the siege annals by the Order’s chronicler Francesco Balbi.

These posters were inaugurated during the 400th anniversary of the Great Siege in 1565 on the initiative of the Vittoriosa Historical and Cultural Society and with the permission of the museum authorities.

They helped tourists and locals alike to locate the Great Siege defences. They were unavoidably removed to permit the restorations to be done.

Now that most of the work is ready, these name-plates should be put back in place. These consisted of simple metal boards painted in black and white on sturdyfree-standing frames, like miniature billboards, and therefore no harm was done to the stonework. As easily as they were removed, they should now be reinstalled.

It would undoubtedly give a sense of pride to an English visitor passing by to find himself at the Post of England, defended by the English knights, and the Frenchmen to walk through the Post of Provence and along the French Curtain!

The educational value of these simple name installations cannot be underestimated.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.