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Mġarr ix-Xini Tower ( mt, Torri ta' Mġarr ix-Xini) is the largest of the coastal
The tower was restored in 2000 by the Ministry for Gozo and Wirt Għawdex. A path leading to the tower from the bay was also reopened, enabling visitors to enjoy the walk to the tower. Other restoration works were carried out in 2008, and restoration was finally completed in 2009.
The tower is now open to the public on Saturdays.
Malta and Gozo
National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mgarr ix-Xini Tower Towers completed in 1661 Xewkija Għajnsielem National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands 1661 establishments in Malta
watchtower
A watchtower or watch tower is a type of fortification used in many parts of the world. It differs from a regular tower in that its primary use is military and from a turret in that it is usually a freestanding structure. Its main purpose is to ...
s that the Knights of Malta erected on the island of Gozo. It watches over the entrance to the bay of Mġarr ix-Xini, limits of Għajnsielem
Għajnsielem (), meaning ''"Peaceful Spring"'', is a municipality on the southeastern coast of the island of Gozo in Malta, including the entire island of Comino. It has a population of 3,200 residents (as of March 2014), and is the first Gozit ...
, which lies on Gozo's south-west coast.
It was completed in 1661, and its design is similar to the De Redin towers
The De Redin Towers ( mt, Torrijiet ta' De Redin) are a series of small coastal watchtowers built in Malta by the Order of Saint John between 1658 and 1659. Thirteen towers were built around the coast of mainland Malta, eight of which still surv ...
that were commissioned by Grand Master Martin de Redin. Recently, Wirt Għawdex, a heritage NGO, restored the tower. It is now open to the public.
It is one of four surviving coastal watchtowers on Gozo, with the others being Xlendi Tower
Xlendi Tower ( mt, Torri tax-Xlendi) is a small watchtower near Xlendi Bay, within the limits of Munxar on the island of Gozo in Malta. The tower is one of the Lascaris towers and dates to 1650; it is currently undergoing restoration.
It is the ...
, Dwejra Tower, and Isopu Tower.
History
Mġarr ix-Xini Tower was completed by June 1661, to a plan by Mederico Blondel. It cost an estimated 857 scudi, which were financed by the Università of Gozo. The design is similar to theDe Redin towers
The De Redin Towers ( mt, Torrijiet ta' De Redin) are a series of small coastal watchtowers built in Malta by the Order of Saint John between 1658 and 1659. Thirteen towers were built around the coast of mainland Malta, eight of which still surv ...
on mainland Malta, having a square plan with two floors. However, the design differed since its entrance was approached by a flight of steps and a drawbridge, unlike the other towers which had a retractable ladder.
The tower has Santa Cecilia Tower
Santa Cecilia Tower ( mt, It-Torri ta' Santa Ċeċilja or ''ta' Santa Ċilja'') is a tower in Għajnsielem, Gozo, Malta. It was built in 1613 by a member of the Order of St. John, and it could relay messages across the island. Today, the tower is ...
(built 1613) and Saint Mary's Tower (built 1618) in its line of sight. It was originally manned by a castellan and a bombardier, but was no longer permanently manned by 1785 since the Ottoman threat had receded. It was rearmed with two 6-pounder iron guns in 1792.
Present day
The tower was restored in 2000 by the Ministry for Gozo and Wirt Għawdex. A path leading to the tower from the bay was also reopened, enabling visitors to enjoy the walk to the tower. Other restoration works were carried out in 2008, and restoration was finally completed in 2009.
The tower is now open to the public on Saturdays.
Further reading
Malta and Gozo
References
External links
National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mgarr ix-Xini Tower Towers completed in 1661 Xewkija Għajnsielem National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands 1661 establishments in Malta