Ximenes Redoubt ( mt, Ridott ta' Ximenes) is a

redoubt A redoubt (historically redout) is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on earthworks, although some are constructed of stone or brick. It is meant to protect sold ...

in Salina Bay,

Naxxar Naxxar ( mt, In-Naxxar) is a small city in the Northern Region of Malta, with a population of 14,891 people as of March 2014. The Naxxar Church is dedicated to Our Lady of Victories. The annual village feast is celebrated on 8 September. Naxx ...

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

. It was built by the Order of Saint John in 1715-1716 as one of a series of coastal fortifications around the Maltese Islands, and it was originally called Salina Right Redoubt. Two

warehouse A warehouse is a building for storing goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial parks on the outskirts of cities, ...

s were grafted on the redoubt in the second half of the 18th century so as to store salt from nearby salt pans. It was eventually renamed after Grand Master

Francisco Ximénez de Tejada Francisco Ximénez de Tejada y Eslava ( Aragonese: ''Francisco Ximénes de Texada i Eslava''; 13 October 1703, Funes, Kingdom of Navarre − 9 November 1775, Naples) was a Spanish knight who served as the 69th Prince and Grand Master of the Or ...

, whose coat of arms can be seen on one of the warehouses. The redoubt and warehouses have been recently restored.

History

Salina Right Redoubt was built between 1715 and 1716 as part of the Order of Saint John's first building program of coastal fortifications. It was one of two redoubts defending Salina Bay. The redoubt on the other side of the bay, known as

Perellos Redoubt Perellos Redoubt ( mt, Ridott ta' Perellos) was a redoubt in Salina Bay, limits of St. Paul's Bay, Malta. It was built by the Order of Saint John in 1715-1716 as one of a series of coastal fortifications around the coasts of the Maltese Islands ...

, was demolished after World War II. The redoubt was unique in Malta, as it was the only one which consisted of just a polygonal enclosure with a high parapet wall designed to protect infantrymen. It did not have a blockhouse, which was a feature found in most other redoubts in the Maltese islands. Since it was a small work, it only cost 316 scudi, 9 tari, 10 grani and 2 piccoli to build, which was less than one third the cost of an average redoubt. After 1741, two fougasses were built, one within the redoubt and another just outside its wall. One of the fougasses still survives today, and it is among the best preserved ones to be found in Malta. In about 1750, a large building was grafted onto the redoubt. It served as both a magazine and a

, to serve as storage space for salt from the nearby salt pans at Salina. A second warehouse was built in the 1770s, during the reign of Grand Master Francisco Ximénez de Tejada. The new warehouse had a large escutcheon with Ximenes' coat of arms above the doorway, and the redoubt became known as the Ximenes Redoubt. The redoubt did not have any armament, equipment or munitions in 1785.

Present day

Today, the redoubt lies on the Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq– Salina coast road, and it is overshadowed by the Coastline Hotel. The redoubt as well as the nearby salt pans were restored between 2011 and 2013. In 2013, the redoubt was vandalized when graffiti were sprayed on one of its walls. This has since been removed.

References

External links

National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese IslandsYouTube video about Ximenes Redoubt
{{portal bar, Food Redoubts in Malta Naxxar Hospitaller fortifications in Malta Military installations established in 1715 Warehouses in Malta Salt production Limestone buildings in Malta National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands 18th-century fortifications 1715 establishments in Malta