Arrias Battery
| Arrias Battery | |
|---|---|
| Batterija ta' Arrias | |
| Xemxija, St. Paul's Bay, Malta | |
|
Arrias Battery is now a restaurant called The Fortress | |
| Coordinates | 35°56′50.8″N 14°22′58.7″E / 35.947444°N 14.382972°E |
| Type | Redoubt |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Government of Malta |
| Controlled by | The Fortress Wine & Dine |
| Open to the public | Yes (as a restaurant) |
| Condition | Intact with some modern modifications |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1715–1716 |
| Built by | Order of Saint John |
| Materials | Limestone |
Arrias Battery (Maltese: Batterija ta' Arrias), also known as Xemxija Battery (Maltese: Batterija tax-Xemxija) or Pwales Left Battery (Maltese: Batterija tax-Xellug tal-Pwales), is a redoubt[lower-alpha 1] in Xemxija 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 Maltese Islands. It is now used as a restaurant.
History
Arrias Battery was built in 1715–1716 as part of the Order of Saint John's first building program of batteries and redoubts around the coasts of Malta. It was one of two redoubts defending Xemxija Bay.[1] The redoubt on the other side of the bay, known as Dellija Redoubt, was demolished in 1924.
The redoubt originally consisted of a mostly rectangular platform with a rounded end at the north. It had a low parapet with one embrasure, and the gorge was closed off by a rectangular blockhouse. The redoubt was named after the knight Emmanuele Arrias, and an inscription commemorating him is located above the main entrance.
The redoubt eventually became a summer residence of the Borg Cardona family. They called it ix-Xemxija and later, the area around it began to be referred to by that name.[2]
Present day
The redoubt is intact, but several alterations have been made to the structure, mostly during the course of the 20th century. The alterations include a second floor added to the blockhouse, and a flight of steps leading to an entrance facing the sea.
The redoubt now serves as a restaurant, known as The Fortress Wine & Dine.[3]
Notes
- ↑ Despite its names, it is a redoubt and not an artillery battery.
References
- ↑ "San Pawl il-Baħar". lc.gov.mt. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- ↑ Mizzi, John A. (4 February 2012). "The Dellija redoubt". Times of Malta. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- ↑ "The Fortress Wine and Dine". mydestination.com. Retrieved 27 June 2015.