Wignacourt Tower
| Wignacourt Tower & Battery | |
|---|---|
| Torri u Batterija ta' Wignacourt | |
| Part of the Wignacourt towers | |
| St. Paul's Bay, Malta | |
Wignacourt Tower
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Map of Wignacourt Tower and its battery
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| Coordinates | 35°56′58.72″N 14°24′10.64″E / 35.9496444°N 14.4029556°E |
| Type | Bastioned coastal watchtower Artillery battery |
| Area | 196 m2 (2,110 sq ft) |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Government of Malta |
| Controlled by | Din l-Art Ħelwa |
| Open to the public |
Yes |
| Condition | Intact |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1610 (tower) 1715 (battery) |
| Built by | Order of Saint John |
| Materials | Limestone |
Wignacourt Tower (Maltese: Torri ta' Wignacourt), also known as Saint Paul's Bay Tower (Maltese: Torri ta' San Pawl il-Baħar), is a bastioned watchtower in St. Paul's Bay, Malta. It was the first of six Wignacourt towers to be built, and it was completed in 1610. It replaced the role of Ta' Tabibu farmhouse which was previously known as Dejma Tower. An artillery battery was added a century later in 1715. Today the tower is a museum.
Wignacourt Tower was the second tower to be built in the Maltese islands, after Garzes Tower on Gozo. It was also the first tower to be built on the main island. As Garzes Tower was demolished in 1848, Wignacourt Tower is now the oldest surviving watchtower in Malta.
By the end of the 16th century, Malta's harbour area was extensively fortified. However, the rest of the islands was virtually undefended, and the coastline was open to attacks by Ottomans or Barbary corsairs. This began to change in the early 17th century, when Martin Garzez, Grand Master of the Order of Saint John, allocated funds for the building of Garzes Tower on Gozo. Garzes' successor, Alof de Wignacourt, set out to build a series of towers around the coastline, which were personally funded by him and came to be known as the Wignacourt towers.
The first tower was built to protect St. Paul's Bay, and was called Wignacourt Tower after the Grand Master. On 7 November 1609, plans and a model of the tower were presented to the Order's council. The first stone of was blessed and laid on 10 February 1610, and the accompanying ceremony was personally attended by Wignacourt himself. The tower cost 6748 scudi, 7 tari and 10 grani to build.
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Wikipedia