At noon a sharp crack rolls across the Grand Harbour, and the pigeons on the ramparts take off at once. The Saluting Battery in Valletta fires its guns every day, and the ritual is one of the best-loved sights in the city.
A battery on the ramparts
The Saluting Battery sits in the bastions below the Upper Barrakka Gardens, along Valletta’s eastern ramparts. It occupies the most strategic position in the Grand Harbour and is an integral part of the city fortifications, work on which began in 1566, almost directly after the Great Siege.
From this dramatic position the battery protected Valletta from naval attack for centuries. The arsenal was often changed, replenished or reduced according to the period. At one point only a single gun stayed at its post while the others were sent to protect coastal areas, in the hard days of the Second World War. The 20th century brought many hardships to the battery, and only the early 2000s brought a renovation project.
Restoration and return
In 2004 the Malta Heritage Trust finished the restoration of the battery. The project was funded by the Malta Tourism Authority and the Bank of Valletta. On 1 May 2004, after 81 years without gun firing, the tradition of the noon-day gun came back. In 2013 the evening firing was also renewed.
Why the guns fire
Mid-day gun salutes became a daily habit from 1820. The first reason was practical: ship masters in the harbour calibrated their chronometers by the sound of the shot. The second was civic, since the signal regulated the pace of life in the city. Locals can hardly imagine the custom being forgotten.
Today the guns are also fired on state and religious feast days and when cruise liners come into the harbour.
Watching a firing
The midday gun is preceded by a brief commentary a quarter of an hour earlier, which explains the history and what is about to happen. The evening gun follows later in the day. Both are good moments to stand on the terrace and watch the gunners prepare the weapons.
Arrive early for a good view, particularly in high season when groups gather. The sound is loud and sudden, so cover your ears if you are sensitive. The smoke drifts out over the harbour and disappears in seconds, which is the best time to take a photograph.
The open-air museum
Between firings, the battery works as a small open-air museum. Gun equipment, cannon balls and models of cannon are on display, and visitors can listen or read about the island’s history and the repeated attempts to capture it. The eight working replicas of 32-pounder guns, set up on Battery Street after the final restoration in 2011, are the main exhibits.
The open location also has views of the Mediterranean and the Grand Harbour, and the sea breeze is welcome in summer. You can visit independently or with a guided tour.
Practical points
The listed hours and fees are shown in the facts box, and it is wise to check them before you set out, because the battery closes on certain public holidays. Wear a hat in summer, since the terrace is open to the sun. The paving is smooth, but there are steps to reach it, so access with a pushchair or wheelchair may need planning.
What the view gives you
Standing on the terrace, you look straight across the Grand Harbour to the Three Cities. Birgu and Senglea sit on their peninsulas, the bastions of the Cottonera Lines run behind them, and ferries and cruise ships cross the water below. It is the view the Knights’ gunners had, and the geometry of the harbour makes sense of why this spot was fortified so heavily.
Take a moment before the firing to look at the layout. The guns point out over the water, covering the harbour mouth and the approach to the creeks. That is the whole reason the battery exists, and the open-air museum text fills in the details.
After the shot, many visitors stay for a few minutes to watch the smoke clear and to see where the sound carries. It echoes off the opposite shore a moment later, which is easy to miss if you leave straight away.
Combining it with Valletta
The Upper Barrakka Gardens are directly above, and the Upper Barrakka Lift brings you from the harbour level up to the same terrace. The Lascaris War Rooms and the Auberge de Castille are close by, so a morning can run from a stroll through the gardens, to the noon gun, and then on to lunch in the city.
Plan your day around the firing rather than the other way round. The guns give the visit a fixed point, and the rest falls into place around it.
