Lembi Battery, also known as Qala Lembi Battery (), was an

artillery battery In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit or multiple systems of artillery, mortar systems, rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers, surface-to-surface missiles, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, etc., so grouped to f ...

Sliema Sliema ( ) is a town located on the northeast coast of Malta in the Districts of Malta#Northern Harbour District, Northern Harbour District. It is a major residential and commercial area and a centre for shopping, bars, dining, and café life. ...

Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...

. It was built in 1757 by the

Order of Saint John The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), is a Catholic Church, Catholic Military order (religious society), military order. It was founded in the Crusader states, crusader K ...

, and was considered as an

outwork An outwork is a minor fortification built or established outside the principal fortification limits, detached or semidetached. Outworks such as ravelins, lunettes (demilunes), flèches and caponier A caponier is a type of defensive structur ...

Fort Manoel Fort Manoel ( or ''Fortizza Manoel'') is a star fort on Manoel Island in Gżira, Malta. It was built in the 18th century by the Order of Saint John, during the reign of Grand Master António Manoel de Vilhena, after whom it is named. Fort Ma ...

. The battery became obsolete with the construction of

Fort Tigné Fort Tigné () is a polygonal fort in Tigné Point, Sliema, Malta. It was built by the Order of Saint John between 1793 and 1795 to protect the entrance to Marsamxett Harbour. It is one of the oldest polygonal forts in the world. The fort, ex ...

in 1795, and it was briefly used as a summer residence before being demolished. In the 1870s, Cambridge Battery was built close to the site of Lembi Battery. The battery was also referred to as Fort Lembi, Lembi Tower or Lembi Redoubt.

History

Lembi Battery was built in 1757, and was regarded as an

, as it was intended to prevent an attacking enemy from bombarding the northern flank of the fort. The battery had a triangular gun platform and a small blockhouse attached to one side, and it was surrounded by a ditch. It was armed with six 12-pounder guns. The battery became obsolete when

was built in 1795, and its artillery was removed. It became a summer residence of the knight Fra Amante de Fargues. During the

French blockade French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), a ...

of 1798–1800, Maltese insurgents built a number of batteries close to the former Lembi Battery in order to bombard Fort Tigné, which was held by the French. The battery was demolished later on in the 19th century. In 1878, Cambridge Battery began to be built close to its site.

References

Artillery battery fortifications in Malta Hospitaller fortifications in Malta Military installations established in 1757 Demolished buildings and structures in Malta Sliema Limestone buildings in Malta Military installations closed in 1795 1757 establishments in Malta 19th-century disestablishments in Malta Buildings and structures demolished in the 19th century 18th-century fortifications 18th Century military history of Malta {{Malta-geo-stub