Fort St Elmo

Fort St Elmo rises at the tip of Malta’s peninsula, where thick stone walls overlook the approaches to the harbours. Its sharp, star-shaped ramparts create a striking outline against the sea. Built in 1552 by the Knights of St John, the fortress guarded against Ottoman attacks. Pietro Prato designed the structure, while Fra Leone Strozzi supervised its construction.

During the Great Siege of 1565, defenders endured more than a month of artillery fire before surrendering. Later additions brought barracks, a church, chapels, and a lighthouse within the expanding complex. British forces strengthened the fort, which faced Malta’s first aerial bombardment during the Second World War. The National War Museum now fills its rooms with seven galleries covering 7,000 years of military history.

Inside, Bronze Age relics stand alongside knights’ armour, Ottoman armour, and Second World War artefacts. The collection includes the Gloster Sea Gladiator Faith, the George Cross, and Roosevelt’s jeep Husky. Courtyards and the chapels dedicated to Saint Anne offer quieter spaces among the defensive walls. From the ramparts, harbour views connect the fort’s military purpose with Malta’s surrounding sea.