Qalet Marku Battery (), also known as D'Orbeau 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 ...

in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, within the limits of

Naxxar Naxxar () is a town and local council in the Northern Region of Malta. The population in March 2014 was 14,891. The Naxxar Church is dedicated to Our Lady of Victories. The annual village feast is celebrated on 8 September. It formerly hoste ...

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 1715–1716 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 ...

as one of a series of coastal fortifications around the Maltese Islands. The battery has been largely destroyed, but some remains can still be seen.

History

Qalet Marku Battery was built in 1715–1716 as part of the first building programme of coastal batteries in Malta. The nearest fortifications to the battery were

Saint Mark's Tower Saint Mark's Tower (), originally known as ''Torre del Cortin'' and also known as Qalet Marku Tower (), is a small watchtower in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, limits of Naxxar, Malta. It was completed in 1658 as the third of the De Redin towers. Today, ...

to the north,

Qalet Marku Redoubt Qalet Marku Redoubt () was a redoubt in the limits of Naxxar, Malta. It was built in 1715–1716 by the Order of Saint John as one of a series of coastal fortifications around the Maltese Islands. It was demolished to make way for the coast road; ...

to the west (now demolished) and

Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq Redoubt Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq Redoubt () is a redoubt in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, within the limits of Naxxar, Malta. It was built in 1715–1716 by the Order of Saint John as one of a series of coastal fortifications around the Maltese Islands. Today, the ...

to the east. Construction of the battery cost 1,165 scudi. The battery originally consisted of a pentagonal gun platform with an embrasured parapet wall. A rectangular blockhouse was located in the centre of the battery, while the entire structure was surrounded by a rock-hewn ditch. The battery was still in good condition until the first half of the 20th century. It seems to have been severely damaged before or during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. At this point, a concrete bunker was built on one side of the ruined battery.

Present day

Today, only the ditch and part of the scarp wall are still visible, although they are covered in vegetation. Despite this, the site is considered to have significant archaeological potential if properly excavated and studied.

References

External links

National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands
{{Batteries in Malta Artillery battery fortifications in Malta Hospitaller fortifications in Malta Military installations established in 1715 Buildings and structures demolished in the 20th century Ruins in Malta Naxxar Limestone buildings in Malta National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands 18th-century fortifications 1715 establishments in Malta 18th Century military history of Malta