The Coastal Fortifications Of Gozo & Comino

The Coastal Fortifications Of Gozo & Comino

This is an important addition to Gozo’s historical heritage. Based mainly on original archival research combined with periodial site inspections and assessments carried out over a span of several years, it comprehensively brings together for the first time, the history of all the coast defence fortifications built on Gozo and Comino – including Fort Chambray, the main Entrenchments, Coast Watch-Towers, Batteries, Reboubts, Fougasses and the undersea walls of jettisoned stone boulders.

Hitherto, this aspect of Gozo’s history has virtually been ignored or at least only partially, even then superficially, considered by historians. This book aims to redress this long outstanding disregard and undervaluation of Gozo’s military defence works. Amongst the many “new” facts unravelled here one could mention: Vittorio Cassar’s sojourn in Catania, in 1604, to reconstruct the City’s harbour works; Vittorio’s home within teh Castello and his death in valleta in the summer of 1609 – The Barber Surgeon’s role at the Torri Garzes (1615) – Completion date and plans of the hitherto “mysterious’ First Marsalforn Watch-Tower, and is eventual coast Batteries and Redoubts – The St Paul Church, Battery and redoubt complex of Marsalforn – The firing of Fougasses – Fort Chambray: its first Capo Mastro; Nominal Roll of persons whose remains were removed from the Protestant Cemetery in 1991 – and many more “forgotten” events lonked to our history.

By: A Samut Tagliaferro

Format: paperback

No of pages: 373

Published: 1993