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Tal-Wejter Tower

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Tal-Wejter Tower
Torri tal-Wejter
Birkirkara, Malta
View of Tal-Wejter Tower, with original dismantled stones at the bottom
Coordinates35°53′49.8″N 14°28′1.9″E / 35.897167°N 14.467194°E / 35.897167; 14.467194
TypeTower
Site information
OwnerPrivate
Open to
the public		No
ConditionIntact but dilapidated
Site history
Built1710[1]
Built byOrder of Saint John
MaterialsLimestone

Tal-Wejter Tower (Maltese: Torri tal-Wejter - It-Torri Wejter) is a tower in Birkirkara, Malta, which was built in the early 18th century by the Order of Saint John.[2] It is also known locally as it-Torri tal-Misħun (English: Boiling Water Tower), a reference to its machicolations which are known as galleriji tal-misħun in Maltese.[3] The tower was partially demolished in the 1960s, but it was later rebuilt. Today, it is in a rather dilapidated state.[4]

History

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Entrance to the tower

The area where the tower is found was known as Għassiewi, meaning guarded place.[5] Till the late 20th century, the community was known as Tal-Wejter.[6] The nearby valley was known as Tal-Wejter Valley.[7][8]

Tal-Wejter Tower was commissioned by Grand Master Ramon Perellos y Roccaful, and it was built in the early 18th century. The tower stood on the road leading from San Ġwann and St. Julian's to Birkirkara. This area is now built up and the tower is surrounded by modern buildings.[9]

The tower was built to watch over the inland areas in the surrounding region of Birkirkara and to bridge the site of the Birkirkara Tower and Floriana. The project took place on the recommendations by Captain Foulet and Commander D'Argens, who were French knights of the Order of St. John.[10]

Part of the tower was illegally demolished in 1968, but it was later rebuilt by the Società Dun Filippu Borgia. Today, the tower is still intact but it is deteriorating and it is feared that it might collapse.[11] The building is privately owned,[3] and it is currently for sale.[12] It was scheduled as a Grade 2 national monument by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority in 2012.[13][14][15]

Architecture

[edit]
Western corner of the tower, with two machicolations visible

Tal-Wejter Tower was originally a two-story high tower with a high parapet wall at roof level.[14] After being partially dismantled and rebuilt, a ceiling was added to the high wall and it now has three floors.[12]

It has a square base,[14] with a room on each of the three floors.[16][12] The upper floor is separated by a moulded string course. Each façade of the tower originally had box machicolations. The entrance to the tower is through an arched doorway built in the medieval style.[9] The building is now engulfed between later built housing residences.[17] It is privately owned.[18]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Grech, Etienne (2019). "Birkirkara House of Character". Perry - Estates Agents Since 1981. Archived from the original on 21 January 2020.
  2. ^ Darke, Diana (2020). Stealing from the Saracens: How Islamic Architecture Shaped Europe. Oxford University Press. p. 265. ISBN 9781787383050.
  3. ^ a b "Dibattiti tal-Kamra tad-Deputati (Rapport Uffiċjali u Rivedut) – Il-Ħdax-il Parlament – Seduta Nru. 170" (in Maltese). Parliament of Malta. 24 November 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  4. ^ Micallef, Sarah (2020). "Ever dreamt of owning a tower built by the Knights of St John? Well, now's your chance!". www.guidememalta.com.
  5. ^ Luttrell, Anthony T. (1975). Medieval Malta. London The British School at Rome. pp. 183–213. ISBN 9780904152029. OCLC 248868305.
  6. ^ Sammut, A. M. (2014). "Il-Franġiskani tal-Wejter: Mill-maħżen għall-Knisja - Festa Sant'Antnin, Birkirkara" (PDF). Soċjetà Mużikali Sant'Antnin (in Maltese): 45–47.
  7. ^ "Reports on the Working of Government Departments". Department of Information. 1975. p. 95.
  8. ^ "Reports on the Working of Government Departments for the Year". Malta Information Division. 1978. p. 95, 104.
  9. ^ a b "Tal-Wejter Tower". Times of Malta. 23 February 2012. Archived from the original on 1 June 2015.
  10. ^ Guillaumier, Alfie (2002). Bliet u Rħula Maltin, Second Volume (in Maltese). Klabb Kotba Maltin. p. 85. ISBN 99932-39-16-X.
  11. ^ Azzopardi, Silvio (1 October 2008). "Two Historical gems that could be no more..." The Malta Independent. Archived from the original on 17 December 2015.
  12. ^ a b c "Birkirkara, Unconverted Tower". Frank Salt Real Estate Ltd. Archived from the original on 21 June 2016.
  13. ^ "Protection granted to a further 29 buildings and sites". MEPA. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014.
  14. ^ a b c "Mepa schedules a range of properties". Times of Malta. 31 January 2012. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015.
  15. ^ "22 Historical properties scheduled". The Malta Independent. 12 January 2012.
  16. ^ Engel & Völgels (9 July 2021). "Unique Torri in B'Kara". MaltaPark. Archived from the original on 29 July 2021.
  17. ^ "It-torri Wejter, illum imdawwar bil-bini. Ritratt mehud mill arkivji taghna". Archived from the original on 2020-02-14.
  18. ^ Attard, Antoine (8 July 2019). "Minuti tal-Kunsill Lokali, Birkirkara" (PDF) (in Maltese). p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 June 2020.

Media related to Tal-Wejter Tower at Wikimedia Commons

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