Fort St. Angelo
Fort St. Angelo | |
---|---|
Forti Sant'Anġlu ( fort; previously a castle | |
Area | 13,000 m2 (140,000 sq ft)[1] |
Site information | |
Owner | Government of Malta |
Controlled by | Cottonera Waterfront Group Heritage Malta Sovereign Military Order of Malta |
Open to the public | Most of fort, partially on occasions |
Condition | Intact |
Site history | |
Built | c. 13th century–1691 |
Built by | Order of Saint John |
In use | c. 13th century–1979 |
Materials | Limestone |
Battles/wars | Battle of Malta Attack of 1551 Great Siege of Malta Siege of Malta (1798–1800) Siege of Malta (World War II) |
Garrison information | |
Garrison | 450[citation needed] |
Fort St. Angelo (
The fort was garrisoned by the British from 1800 to 1979, at times being classified as a stone frigate known as HMS Egmont or later HMS St Angelo. The fort suffered considerable damage during World War II, but it was later restored. In 1998, the upper part of the fort was handed to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Fort St. Angelo has been on Malta's tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1998, as part of the Knights' Fortifications around the Harbours of Malta.[2]
History
Pre-history to antiquity
The site was occupied since pre-history and a prominent place of worship in antiquity with the building of the temple of Astarte.[3]
The date of its original construction is unknown. However, the prehistoric and classical remains on site, are indicative of a fortified place and a habitable zone. Large
Middle Ages
Its probable start as a fortification is the high/late
By 1445 a Mariam confraternity, one of the eldest in Maltese history, had its convent located at the site.[11] A middle-ages window was discovered during renovations. It is documented that this had been walled up soon after the arrival of the knights.[12]
Knights' period
When the
In 1644, Giovanni de’ Medici proposed that a new fort be constructed on Orsi Point (the site where Fort Ricasoli was later built), and the name and garrison of Fort St. Angelo be transferred to the new fort. He drew up plans for the proposed fort, but they were never implemented.[16]
In the 1690s the fort again underwent major repairs. Today's layout of the fort is attributed to these works which were designed by Carlos de Grunenbergh, who also paid for the construction of four gun batteries on the side of the fort facing the entrance to Grand Harbour. As a result, one can still see his coat of arms above the main gate of the fort.[1] When the French arrived in 1798, the fort had become a powerful fortification housing some 80 guns, 48 of which pointed towards the entrance of the port. During the short two-year period of French occupation, the Fort served as the headquarters of the French Army.
British period
With the coming of the British to Malta the fort retained its importance as a military installation, first in use by the Army as a Wireless Station.
During
Recent history
On 5 December 1998, a treaty was signed between Malta and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta granting the upper part of Fort St Angelo, including the Grand Master's House and the Chapel of St Anne, to the Order with limited extraterritoriality.
This treaty was ratified on 1 November 2001.[19] The agreement has a duration of 99 years but the document allows the Maltese Government terminate it at any time after 50 years.[20][21] In terms of the agreement, the flag of Malta is to be flown together with the flag of the Order in a prominent position over Saint Angelo. No asylum may be granted by the Order and generally the Maltese courts have full jurisdiction and Maltese law shall apply. A number of immunities and privileges are mentioned in the second bilateral treaty.
Other parts of the fort are leased to the Cottonera Waterfront Group, a private consortium.[22][23]
On 5 March 2012, it was confirmed that the
Layout
Upon the arrival of the Order in 1530, the Castrum Maris consisted of a shell keep containing various buildings, including the Castellan's house and the Chapel of St. Mary (later rededicated to St. Anne), and an outer ward. The castle also included a chapel dedicated to St. Angelo, which was later rededicated to the Nativity of Our Lady.[28]
By the time of the Great Siege of Malta of 1565, the fort still retained most of its medieval features, but a number of modifications had been made by the Order, including:
- D'Homedes Bastion – built during the reign of Juan de Homedes y Coscon. It was heavily altered since the 16th century, especially when it was converted into a gunpowder magazine. Part of the bastion was destroyed in World War II, but the damage was repaired in the 1990s.[29]
- Ferramolino's Cavalier – a high cavalier near D'Homedes Bastion, built between 1542 and 1547.[30] Its roof had eight embrasures, and several magazines and a beacon were also located on the cavalier.[31]
- De Guiral Battery – a small sea-level battery on the western side of the fort at the waterline.[32] It was named after the Chevalier Francesco de Guiral, its commander during the Great Siege. The battery was altered in the 17th and 18th centuries, again by the British.[30]
Most of the present configuration of the fort dates back to reconstruction in the 1690s. Among the features added by Grunenbergh were four batteries facing the entrance to the Grand Harbour. No. 1, No. 2 and No. 4 Batteries were heavily altered by the British, while No. 3 Battery retains more of its original features.[33][34][35][36]
Gallery
-
West face of the seaward bastion
-
Main Gate before renovation
-
Inscription over the gate
-
Private part of the fort dedicated to the SMOM
-
Chapel of the Nativity of Our Lady
Other buildings and art
- Treasures of the Knights Archived 2015-06-05 at the Wayback Machine
References
- ^ a b "Interview: Fort St Angelo - Bringing An icon back to life". The Malta Independent. 12 March 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
- ^ "Knights' Fortifications around the Harbours of Malta". UNESCO Tentative List. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
- ^ Castagna, P. P. (1865). Malta bil chzejer tehne u li ghadda min ghaliha (in Maltese). Vol. 2. Malta: s.n. p. 9.
- ^ Brincat, Joseph M. "New Light on the Darkest Age in Malta's History" (PDF). melitensiawth.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016.
- ^ "A hand book, or guide, for strangers visiting Malta", p. 81.
- ^ "The Rock-cut Church of Bormla: Origins and Developments" (PDF). www.um.edu.mt. 2016. Retrieved 2019-08-26.
- ^ https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/bitstream/123456789/41363/1/Il-pittura_f%27Malta_u_l-identita_nazzjonali_1989.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ [verification needed]Luttrell, Anthony (1970). "The House of Aragon and Malta: 1282-1412" (PDF). Journal of the Faculty of Arts. 4 (2): 156–168.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-01-13. Retrieved 2018-06-26.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Interview: Fort St Angelo - Bringing An icon back to life - The Malta Independent". www.independent.com.mt.
- ^ p. 22
- ^ Ellul, Michael (1988). "Punti d'incontro nell' architettura a Malta e in Sicilia" (PDF). Journal of Maltese Studies (in Italian). 18: 189–196. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 May 2019.
- ^ p. 22
- ^ Spiteri, Stephen C. (26 July 2010). "Fort St Angelo during the Great Siege". MilitaryArchitecture.com. Archived from the original on 11 January 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
- .
- ^ Quintano, Anton. "Fortifications: Fort Ricasoli". Heritage: An Encyclopedia of Maltese Culture and Civilization. 4. Midsea Books Ltd: 1101–1107.
- ^ 71
- ^ "Fort St Angelo". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Archived from the originalon 19 November 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
- ^ "The Order and its Institutions - Mission". Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Archived from the original on 20 July 2008. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
- ^ "After two centuries, the Order of Malta flag flies over Fort St. Angelo, beside the Maltese flag". Sovereign Military Order of Malta. 13 March 2001. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
- ^ "Heritage Malta wants to transform Fort St Angelo into a cultural experience". Times of Malta. 3 September 2010. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
- ^ "Restoration of Fort St Angelo underway". Military Architecture. 8 September 2010. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
- ^ "Funds available at last for Fort St Angelo restoration". Times of Malta. 5 March 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
- ^ "Progress being made in Fort St Angelo restoration". Times of Malta. 2 April 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
- TVM. Archived from the originalon 14 February 2016.
- ^ "UN chief to attend CHOGM". Times of Malta. 28 September 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
- ^ Scerri, John. "Birgu". Malta-Canada.com. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- ^ "D'Homedes Bastion – Fort St Angelo" (PDF). National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. 28 June 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 14, 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
- ^ a b "De Guiral Battery spared a restaurant". MilitaryArchitecture.com. Archived from the original on 27 October 2010. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "Cavalier – Fort St Angelo" (PDF). National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. 28 June 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 14, 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
- ^ "De Guiral Battery – Fort St Angelo" (PDF). National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. 28 June 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 13, 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
- ^ "Sea-level (no1 ) battery – Fort St Angelo" (PDF). National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. 28 June 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 14, 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
- ^ "No. 2. Battery – Fort St Angelo" (PDF). National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. 28 June 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 14, 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
- ^ "No. 3 Battery – Fort St Angelo" (PDF). National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. 28 June 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 14, 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
- ^ "No. 4 Battery – Fort St Angelo" (PDF). National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. 28 June 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 13, 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.