From the Sliema waterfront, the star-shaped silhouette of an island fort sits low across Marsamxett Harbour. Fort Manoel is its name, and the island it stands on is named after it too. The view back from the fort, over water toward Valletta, is one of the better reasons to make the trip.
A fort on a small island
Fort Manoel stands on Manoel Island, in the centre of Marsamxett Harbour, to the north-west of Valletta. The Knights Hospitaller built it to protect Valletta’s northern bastions, and the place also offers one of the best views of the fort itself and the surrounding harbour. The design is a good example of Baroque military architecture, a fort that is both a solid defence and a piece of architecture.
Why the island mattered
The first proposal to fortify the island dates from 1569, when Valletta’s construction was approaching its final stage. The little island, then called l’Isolotto, was seen as the weakest link in the chain of Valletta’s defences, and a small cavalier was suggested. From the 1570s, military engineers from different parts of Europe put forward various plans, but the final one was agreed only in 1723.
That plan was a joint project of the Knight René Jacob de Tigné and the Order’s military engineer François de Mondion. It consisted of a square fort with two cavaliers and four bastions. The first stone was laid in 1723 by Manoel de Vilhena, who held the Grand Master’s position. By 1734 the fort was already an active military site.
French, British and wartime use
During the French invasion of 1798 the fort was used for its military purpose. After the capitulation to Napoleon it was surrendered and occupied by a French garrison, which meant that Maltese forces had to attack their own fort several times. From 1800 to 1906 the British held it and made a new round of changes.
After the British left, the fort continued as a military establishment and was in active use in the Second World War. In 1964 it was decommissioned and abandoned.
Neglect, damage and restoration
The years after 1964 were hard on the fort. Numerous changes made for different military strategies and war damage had already altered it, and then neglect and repeated vandalism caused considerable harm. Restoration began in 2001. Some parts, such as the bastions and the piazza, could simply be repaired, while others, such as the chapel, needed complete rebuilding.
The first phase of restoration was completed in 2009, and the second was approved in 2012. For visitors, this means that the fort is a work in progress rather than a polished museum, and its condition and accessibility have changed over the years.
Making a visit work
Before you set out, check what is open. Because of the staged restoration, some areas are open and others are not, and entry may depend on the day or on a guided arrangement. Wear sturdy shoes, since the ground can be uneven, and bring water and sun protection, as there is little shade on the bastions.
Manoel Island is joined to Gzira, so the approach is easy, and the walk along the shore is pleasant. Nearby you will find Gzira’s parish church, the Council of Europe Garden and the Duck Village, all within a short distance. Sliema’s promenade lies along the coast in one direction, and Valletta across the water in the other.
For the best light on the stone and the harbour, go in the late afternoon. A walk along the shore after the visit makes a fitting end.
Reading the design
The plan of Fort Manoel is easy to grasp once you see it from above or from the bastions. A square body carries four bastions at the corners, with two cavaliers, raised platforms that gave guns a wider field of fire over the walls. The layout reflects the fortification thinking of the early eighteenth century, and the Baroque touches show in the way the gates, chapel and parade ground were composed rather than simply thrown up.
The central piazza gives a sense of the scale. Soldiers once drilled and gathered here, and the buildings around it supported daily life inside the walls. The chapel, rebuilt in the restoration, is a reminder that the fort was a small community as well as a military post.
A short walk around the island
The island itself is worth a stroll. Paths follow the shore, and the views change as you move around: first toward Valletta’s bastions, then toward Sliema’s waterfront and the open mouth of the harbour. In summer the breeze off the water is welcome, and in winter the light is clear. Pack a layer in case of wind and keep an eye on the weather, because storms come up quickly on the harbour.
