Ħamrija Tower
The Ħamrija Tower ( Torri Ħamrija in Maltese ) is a fortification in Malta that was built during the reign of the Order of St. John in 1658 . The tower stands on the cliffs on the southwest coast of the island of Malta near the villages of Qrendi and Għar Lapsi . In the immediate vicinity are the temples of Mnajdra and Ħaġar Qim . The tower monitored a large part of the southwest coast, the offshore sea area and the island of Filfla .
history
The tower was erected as the twelfth of a series of thirteen watchtowers built during the reign of Grand Master Martin de Redin from 1657 to 1660. These towers are also known as de Redin Towers after him . Compared to the Wignacourt Towers , built between 1609 and 1614 , the task of these towers had changed. Much smaller and less armed, they served primarily as observation posts, from which the garrison in Valletta and other places should be alerted when an enemy fleet approached . For this purpose, the towers, together with the Wignancourt Towers and the Lascaris Towers, were arranged within sight of each other, so that optical signals could be transmitted day and night. The closest tower to the southeast is the Wardija Tower .
Building
Like all other de Redin Towers , the Hamrija Tower has a square floor plan. The side length is around 8.1 m. The tower has two floors, the lower floor has the shape of a truncated pyramid. There was a windowless storage room in the basement. The tower was accessed via a ladder to the room on the first floor.
During the British rule, these towers were initially still in use. In 1813, Captain Dickens proposed that the towers be reinforced and the order's coastal fortifications expanded. However, these plans did not materialize. In 1828, Captain Jones of the Royal Engineers suggested demolishing all the towers. He justified his suggestion with the fact that the towers would not withstand a bombardment with modern artillery for long, but an extension would be too expensive. The structural condition of the towers had deteriorated in the previous years, some were in a ruinous condition, others needed repair. In 1832, Colonel Morshead, Chief Royal Engineer , ordered all towers to be demolished. Ultimately, demolition was abandoned and the existing towers were handed over to the local authorities.
literature
- Quentin Hughes : Malta. A guide to the fortifications. Said International, 1993, ISBN 9990943-07-9 .
- Stephen C. Spiteri : The Knight's Fortifications: an Illustrated Guide of the Fortifications built by the Knights of St. John in Malta. Book distributors, 2001, ISBN 9789990972061 .
- Charles Stephenson: The Fortifications of Malta 1530-1945. Osprey Publishing Limited, 2004, ISBN 1-84176-836-7 .
Web links
Individual evidence
Coordinates: 35 ° 49 ′ 28 " N , 14 ° 26 ′ 24" E