Ferretti Battery

Ferretti Battery
Batterija ta' Ferretti
Qajjenza, Birżebbuġa, Malta

View of the Ferretti Battery from the landward side, showing the blockhouses and the redan

Map of Ferretti Battery
Coordinates 35°49′57″N 14°32′2″E / 35.83250°N 14.53389°E / 35.83250; 14.53389
Type Artillery battery
Site information
Owner Government of Malta
Controlled by Private tenant
Open to
the public		 Yes (as a restaurant)
Condition Intact
Website ferretti.com.mt
Site history
Built 1715–1716
Built by Order of Saint John
Materials Limestone

Ferretti Battery (Maltese: Batterija ta' Ferretti), also known as Qajjenza Battery (Maltese: Batterija tal-Qajjenza) or Saint George's Battery (Maltese: Batterija ta' San Ġorġ),[1] is an artillery battery in the village of Qajjenza, within the limits of Birżebbuġa, in Malta.[2] It was built by the Order of Saint John between 1715 and 1716 as one of a series of coastal fortifications around the coasts of the Maltese Islands. A restaurant exists within the walls of the battery, serving Mediterranean cuisine.

History

Ferretti Battery was built in 1715-1716 as part of the first building programme of coastal batteries in Malta. It was part of a chain of fortifications that defended Marsaxlokk Bay, which also included six other batteries, the large Saint Lucian Tower, two smaller De Redin towers, four redoubts and three entrenchments.[3] The battery was named after the knight Francesco Maria Ferretti, who provided over 900 scudi for its construction.[4]

Defaced coats of arms above the battery's main entrance

The battery consists of a semi-circular gun platform, with a parapet containing eight embrasures. Its gorge has two blockhouses linked by a redan, all of which are pierced by musketry loopholes. The redan also contains the main entrance, which was surmounted by three coats of arms, now defaced. The battery was originally surrounded by a shallow rock hewn ditch.

The battery was decommissioned sometime in the 19th century, and was later converted into a summer residence and a boathouse. The parapet with embrasures was demolished, while the ditch was converted into a moat filled with seawater. A high seawall was built around the entire battery.

Present day

Interior of the restaurant

Today, the battery is used as a restaurant, named Ferretti after the knight who built the battery. The restaurant serves typical Mediterranean cuisine, and is one of the most popular restaurants in the south of Malta.[5]

The structure itself is in a fair state of preservation. Some of the missing embrasures have been rebuilt, and despite some modern alterations, the structure still retains most of its features.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Farrugia Randon, Stanley (2015). Heritage Saved – Din l-Art Ħelwa – 1965–2015. Luqa: Miller Distributors Ltd. p. 118. ISBN 9789995752132.
  2. ↑ Dillon, Paddy (26 November 2013). Walking in Malta: 33 Routes on Malta, Gozo and Comino. Cicerone Press. pp. 52–. ISBN 978-1-84965-975-8.
  3. ↑ "Vendôme Tower" (PDF). Mare Nostrum. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Ferretti Battery". maltamilitary.0catch.com. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  5. ↑ "Ferretti". mydestination.com. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
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