Fort Delimara is a 19th-century fortification located close to the tip of Delimara Peninsula in Marsaxlokk (Malta). Constructed by the British between 1876 and 1888, the fort was part of a strategic network that included Saint Lucian Tower (built by the knights centrally within the harbour), Fort Tas-Silġ (British, further inland) and Fort Bengħajsa (British, on the harbour's southwestern flank), designed to protect Marsaxlokk Harbour and the island’s southeastern coast. The fort's design reflects the military architecture of the period, featuring deep ditches, thick walls, and casemated batteries. Its primary role was to house coastal artillery to deter potential naval threats, a reflection of Malta's significance as a key naval base in the Mediterranean.
The fort's layout includes a series of underground tunnels and chambers, which were used for storage and operational purposes. Its original armament comprised various heavy guns mounted on disappearing carriages, allowing them to be hidden from view when not in use. Among them were fourteen Victorian 12.5-inch 38 ton rifled muzzle-loading guns of which four survive in situ.
Today, Fort Delimara stands as a testament to Malta's strategic importance in the Mediterranean and the evolution of coastal defense systems during the British colonial era.
• The bowels of Fort Del...
Music: Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Op. 64, Fourth Movement Finale - Andante Maestoso, Allegro Vivo (extract), BBC Philharmonic conducted by Yan Pascal Tortelier.