Birkirkara Tower

Not to be confused with Tal-Wejter Tower.
Birkirkara Tower
Torri ta' Birkirkara
Birkirkara, Malta

View of Birkirkara Tower
Coordinates 35°54′4.1″N 14°28′1.8″E / 35.901139°N 14.467167°E / 35.901139; 14.467167
Type Tower
Site information
Owner Private
Open to
the public		 No
Condition Intact
Site history
Built c. 16th century
Materials Limestone

The Birkirkara Tower (Maltese: Torri ta' Birkirkara), also known as Għar il-Ġobon Tower (Maltese: Torri ta' Għar il-Ġobon),[1] is a tower in Birkirkara, Malta. Its date of construction is not known, but it is believed to date back to around the mid or late 16th century.

History

The tower was built for defensive purposes in the inland areas of Malta in the early periods of the Order of St. John. In the 17th century the tower was aided with the building of another tower, the Tal-Wejter Tower, to better facilitate communication with Floriana.[1]

The tower was included on the Antiquities List of 1925.[2] It is now scheduled as a Grade 1 national monument by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority,[3] and it is also listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.[4]

Architecture

The tower as seen from Għar il-Ġobon Street

Birkirkara Tower has a square plan, and its roof is surrounded by a high parapet wall. The latter contains six box machicolations;[5] a pair at the left-side and two on the right-side, and one each at the front and back.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Guillaumier, Alfie (2005). Bliet u Rħula Maltin. Volume 2. Klabb Kotba Maltin. p. 85. ISBN 99932-39-40-2, ISBN 99932-39-41-0.
  2. ↑ "Protection of Antiquities Regulations 21st November, 1932 Government Notice 402 of 1932, as Amended by Government Notices 127 of 1935 and 338 of 1939.". Malta Environment and Planning Authority. Archived from the original on 20 April 2016.
  3. ↑ "Mepa Schedules 51 archaeological sites and buildings". The Malta Independent. 27 December 2009. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015.
  4. ↑ "Birkirkara Tower" (PDF). National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Island. 28 June 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 December 2015.
  5. ↑ Military Architecture.

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