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Fortifications - Ta' Qassisu Battery

Unfortunately, Qassisu Battery is one of those fortifications which nowadays does not exist anymore. Many of the coastal batteries were demolished in the 19th and 20th centuries for various reasons. Two of the main reasons for demolishing these fortifications were because the authorities needed to construct new roads and in recent times (about thirty and forty years ago) to build new buildings. The latter is the reason for demolishing Qassisu Battery. It is an unfortune that at that time the authorities were not aware of such heritage heritage and demolished it instead of revising their plans and building the hotel near it. Now, in my opinion the only way to repair this ‘damage’ is by building a similar one near the area were it was originally built. It could mind matter a little bit these fortifications are re-built even if not in the same spot but some meters away.

The building of Qassisu Battery began in 1714 and it took more than two years to finish it. Again Knight Commander Mongontier contributed a sum of money for the construction of this battery. In fact he contributed some 423 scudi and the rest about 899.4.17 scudi were paid by the Order. The Qassisu Battery is similar to other coastal batteries built in the village of Mellieha. It consisted of a semi-circular gun platform surrounded by a parapet with three embrasures, two blockhouses and a redan at the rear. In 1770 the battery was armed with four 8-pdrs.1


References:
1 Stephen Spiteri. Fortresses of the Cross: Hospitaller Military Architecture (1136-1798), A Heritage Interpretation Services Publication, Malta, 1994, p 516.

 

Researched and Written by: Charles Debono B.A.(Hons) History

 

 


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