The 1618 St Mary’s Tower on Comino will be packed with action during the Comino Fest taking place on August 19 and 20.

The tower was built and financed by Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt through the sale of the brushwood on the island and from the profits made by the resettled farmers.

Also referred to as the Comino Tower, it was part of a system of towers providing defence and communication between the Ċittadella in Gozo and Mdina in Malta, something the Maltese people had been asking for since 1418.

The site chosen for the St Mary’s Tower was some 80 metres above sea level. Its design was square in plan with four corner turrets. The bulk is 12 metres high and stands on a plinth some eight metres high. A three-metre wide strip was laid along the top surface of the plinth to enable the defenders to move easily to any endangered point. The walls of the tower are about six metres thick and the four corner turrets are extended perpendicularly and crowned with a battlement top.

It seems likely that during the British period the tower was used as an isolation hospital at some point, while the lower chamber was converted into a stable for animals. The St Mary’s Tower was used as recently as 2002 by the Armed Forces of Malta, following which restoration commenced with the exterior completed in 2004.

Din l-Art Ħelwa Gozo and Comino volunteers have put together a packed programme for visitors including re-enactments organised for the occasion by the Compagnia San Michele who will demonstrate the life and times of the 17th century in authentic period costume.

A Young People’s Heritage Challenge will test young visitors with a written quiz and volunteers will guide them on a treasure hunt in search of clues. Small gifts and certificates will be awarded to successful participants.

The tower will be open to visitors on Friday between 11am and 9pm. Living History in the early 17th century by the Compagnia San Michele will take place between 6pm and 9pm while at 7.30pm they will give a demonstration of the arms and armour of the time.

On Saturday, August 20, the tower will be open from 10.30am to 8pm. The re-enactments will be staged all day between 10.30am and 6pm, with a demonstration on arms and armour at 11am.

With its 360-degree view over the Gozo Channel and the magical Blue Lagoon directly below, a trip to the roof is also well worth the visit.

Admission is free. However, Din l-Art Ħelwa will be grateful for donations towards the upkeep of the tower. Any volunteers who wish to join the team to assist may contact Carolyn Clements on carolync@maltanet.net.

The organisation is also looking to beef up its volunteer team in the run-up to the 400th anniversary of this imposing coastal tower in 2018. For more information, contact 9905 1866.

• The tower is generally open on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until the end of October between 10.30am and 3pm if the flag is flying.

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.