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Saint George Redoubt
Ridott ta' San Ġorġ
Birżebbuġa, Malta
View of St. George Redoubt
Map of St. George Redoubt
Coordinates	35°49′52″N 14°31′49.7″E / 35.83111°N 14.530472°E / 35.83111; 14.530472
Type	Redoubt
Site information
Owner	Archdiocese of Malta
Controlled by	Missionary Society of St Paul
Condition	Intact
Site history
Built	1714–1716
Built by	Order of Saint John
Materials	Limestone

Saint George Redoubt (Maltese: Ridott ta' San Ġorġ) is a redoubt in Birżebbuġa, Malta. It was built in 1714–1716 by the Order of Saint John as one of a series of coastal fortifications around the Maltese Islands. It is named after a chapel dedicated to St. George, which was incorporated within the redoubt. The redoubt and chapel still exist and are in good condition.

History

The site has been inhabited since the Bronze Age and silos of the period are still found at the coast next to the redoubt.

Saint George Redoubt was built in 1714–1716 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 three other redoubts, the large Saint Lucian Tower, two smaller De Redin towers, seven batteries and three entrenchments.

The redoubt was built on the site of a cemetery. It incorporated the Chapel of St. George, which had been built in 1683 on the site of an earlier chapel. Apart from being the only Hospitaller redoubt incorporating a church, St. George Redoubt is also unusual since it has a semi-circular shape, while most redoubts were pentagonal. The semi-circular platform is ringed by a low parapet. The walls linking the redoubt to the church are pierced by musketry loopholes, while the doorway had a ditch and a drawbridge.

Sometime after 1741, two fougasses were excavated behind the redoubt. They are now located within private houses.

Present day

Today, the chapel and redoubt are managed by the Missionary Society of St Paul. They are both in good condition, and are listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.

References

1. "Scheduling of Properties". Planning Authority (358): 1969-2970. 5 May 1998. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
2. "Vendôme Tower" (PDF). Mare Nostrum. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 May 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
3. Scerri, John. "Cemeteries". Malta-Canada.com. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
4. Scerri, John. "Birzebbuga". Malta-Canada.com. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
5. Spiteri, Stephen C. (10 April 2010). "18th Century Hospitaller Coastal Batteries". MilitaryArchitecture.com. Archived from the original on 8 November 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
6. "St George Redoubt" (PDF). National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. 28 June 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 27, 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
7. "Church of St George" (PDF). National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. 27 September 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 14, 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2015.

External links

• National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands

• Redoubts in Malta
• Hospitaller fortifications in Malta
• Military installations established in 1715
• Birżebbuġa
• Limestone buildings in Malta
• Fortified church buildings
• National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands
• 18th-century fortifications
• 1715 establishments in Malta
• 18th Century military history of Malta