
Din l-Art Ħelwa – National Trust of Malta 133 Melita Street Tel Nos: 2122 5952 • 2122 0358 Valletta VLT12 Email: info@dinlarthelwa.org ULR: http//:www.dinlarthwa.org
The opening times given below are for guidance and are subject to change. Our Property Helpline is 2121 5222.
St Agatha’s Tower – Mellieha Open: Daily including Sundays 10am to 1pm
This Tower is situated on the crest of Marfa Ridge. A shallow alcove within the Tower housed a chapel dedicated to St Agatha. It is also known as the Red Tower due to the colour it was painted and this colour has been retained on restoration. It was completed in 1649 during the Grand Mastership of Jean Paul Lascaris Castellar.
Wignacourt Tower – St Paul’s Bay Open: Mon–Sat 9.30am to 12.30pm
This Tower, built in 1610 by Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt is the oldest surviving coastal defence post and houses a museum of Fortifications.
Mamo Tower – Marsascala Open: Tues, Wed and Fri to Sun 9.30am to 12pm
Although referred to as a Tower, this is really a fortified residence built by the Mamo family in 1657 as a defence against Turkish pirates landing at nearby St Thomas Bay.
Msida Bastion Garden of Rest and Museum of Maltese Burial Practices – Floriana Open: Tues to Thurs, Sat and first Sunday of the month 9.30am to 12pm
This is the site of the first Protestant cemetery opened in 1806. It is located on the side of the imposing Floriana bastions and affords a wonderful view of the Sliema Harbour. Restoration took place over ten years and received the Silver Medal Award from Europa Nostra in 2002. A small Museum of Maltese Burial Practices was opened nearby in 2004.
Dwejra Tower – Gozo Open: First Sunday of the month 9.30am to 12pm
This Tower is located off the road leading to the Inland Sea in Gozo and was completed in 1652 during the reign of Grand Master Lascaris.
Ghallis Tower and Qalet Marku Tower Bahar ic-Caghaq Open: by appointment
These are two of the thirteen towers built by Grand Master de Redin on the coastline between 1658 and 1659 to serve as lookouts.
St Mary’s Tower – Comino Open: by appointment.
This Tower was built on the island of Comino by Grand Master Wignacourt in 1618 to watch over the Malta-Gozo Channel.
St Mary’s Battery – Comino Open: by appointment.
This Battery was erected in 1715 and is one of three surviving Batteries of Gozo and Comino. It is at present equipped with a number of original cannon.
Chapel of Santa Marija ta’ Bir Miftuh – Gudja Open: every Sunday 9.30am to 12pm
This Chapel is located in Gudja near the International Airport and is one of the best preserved examples of a 15th Century parish church.
Chapel of the Annunciation – Hal Millieri, Zurrieq Open: on first Sunday of the month 9.30am to 12pm
This 15th Century Chapel is situated in the old village of Casal Millieri and contains important frescoes and graffiti.
Chapel of St Roque – Zebbug Open: on first Sunday of the month 9.30am to 12pm
This Chapel was built in 1592 on the initiative of Tumas Vassallo and dedicated to St Roque, a patron saint of those suffering from the plague which had just hit the Maltese Islands. It contains a small museum relating to prominent Zebbug citizens.
Other Sites and Monuments restored by Din l-Art Helwa
St Paul’s Statue on St Paul’s Island Originally erected in 1845 and restored in 1996.
Vedette on St James Bastion opposite the Central Bank One of the many Watch Towers built to overlook the Harbours area.
Mistra Gate - St Paul’s Bay This was the gateway to an estate set up in 1607 to collect money for the ransom of slaves.
Wignacourt Fountain – Valletta In 1610 Grand Master Wignacourt initiated a project to bring water to Valletta from a number of natural springs in Rabat. A system of acqueducts were built bearing his name as well as a number of fountains in Valletta. This fountain is near St James Cavalier and was built in 1615.
St John the Evanglist Church at Hal Millieri In addition to the well documented churches of the Annunciation and its abutting ruin of the Visitation, the lost medieval hamlet of Hal Millieri had two other churches. One of these churches was dedicated to the martyrdom of St John the Evangelist whose feast was held on 6th May, the other to the Holy Apparition of St Michael the Archangel on Mount Gargano celebrated on 8th May.
Foresta 2000 – Mellieha Afforestation Scheme Din l-Art Helwa is involved with Birdlife Malta and the Parks and Landscape Conservation Section in developing one of the sites selected for upgrading and afforestation. The site lies West of the Mellieha – Cirkewwa coast road and stretches to the West to the cliffs at ic-Cumnija. The road running in front of St. Agatha’s Tower is the Northern boundary of the project and extends Southwards towards the Nature Reserve to include the garigue slopes.
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