Qalet Marku Redoubt () was a

redoubt A redoubt (historically redout) is a Fortification, fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on Earthworks (engineering), earthworks, although some are constructed of ston ...

in 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. It was demolished to make way for the coast road; its remains are possibly still buried under the road.

History

Qalet Marku Redoubt was built in 1715–1716 as part of the first building programme of redoubts in Malta. The nearest fortifications to the redoubt were Għallis Battery to the northwest and Qalet Marku Battery to the east. Both these batteries have now largely been destroyed, but some remains still survive. The redoubt originally consisted of a pentagonal platform with a low parapet. A rectangular

blockhouse A blockhouse is a small fortification, usually consisting of one or more rooms with loopholes, allowing its defenders to fire in various directions. It is usually an isolated fort in the form of a single building, serving as a defensive stro ...

was located at the centre of its gorge. The redoubt was demolished to make way for the Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq– Salina coast road. Its remains are probably still buried under the surface of the road. Part of the structure can still be seen protruding from beneath the road, although it is encased in concrete.

References

External links

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National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands
Redoubts in Malta Hospitaller fortifications in Malta Military installations established in 1715 Buildings and structures demolished in the 20th century Demolished buildings and structures 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 {{Malta-struct-stub