Lippija Tower

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Lippija Tower

The Lippija Tower ( Maltese Torri ta 'Lippija ) is a former watchtower in the municipality of Mġarr on the Maltese main island of Malta . It was probably built in 1637 as the first of the Lascaris Towers . The building is a Grade 1 listed building and is listed in the National Inventory of Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands under number 58.

history

The tower was built in 1637 under the rule of the Grand Master Jean de Lascaris . Between 1636 and 1657, a total of nine of these towers were built under the rule of de Lascaris. In contrast to the towers, which were built between 1609 and 1620 under the Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt , the Lascaris towers were smaller and did not require so many crews. The Order's resources no longer allowed the manning of a large number of large towers. Therefore, under the rule of de Lascaris, smaller towers were built.

The Lippija Tower was part of a chain of watchtowers that ran along the coasts of the islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino . Their task was to monitor the coast and to issue warnings through cannon shots or beacons when enemy ships approached.

description

The tower stands in the northwest of the island of Malta on a cliff of Wardija Ridge and overlooks Ġnejna Bay . It is located at an altitude of 80 meters above sea level. From here there is a line of sight to the two neighboring towers, the Għajn Tuffieħa Tower and the Nadur Tower .

Like almost all Lascaris towers, it rises on a base area of ​​6 m × 6 m and has a height of about 11 m in two storeys. On the outside, the masonry of the basement is bevelled, the roof is protected by a parapet. The interior consists of two continuous rooms one above the other. Access was only possible through the upper floor, which was reached either by a wooden ladder or a rope ladder ( Italian scala di corda ).

literature

  • A. Hoppen: The Fortification of Malta by the Order of St. John. Scottish Academic Press, Edinburgh 1979.
  • Stephen C. Spiteri : Fortresses of the Cross. Hospitaller Military Architecture (1136–1798). Heritage Interpretation Services, Malta 1994.
  • Stephen C. Spiteri: Fortresses of the Knights. Book Distributors, Malta 2001.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Torri ta 'Lippija / Lippija Tower. (PDF; 356 kB) In: National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. Sovrintendenza tal-Patrimonju Kulturale, March 30, 2012, accessed June 30, 2020 (English).
  2. ↑ a b Quentin Hughes: Malta. A guide to the fortifications , pp. 95ff

Coordinates: 35 ° 55 ′ 20.4 "  N , 14 ° 20 ′ 45.8"  E