Tal-Bir Redoubt ( mt, Ridott tal-Bir), also known as Wied Musa Redoubt ( mt, Ridott ta' Wied Musa), is a

redoubt A redoubt (historically redout) is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on earthworks, although some are constructed of stone or brick. It is meant to protect soldi ...

in the limits of

Mellieħa Mellieħa ( mt, il-Mellieħa ) is a large village in the Northern Region of Malta. It has a population of 10,087 as of March 2014. Mellieħa is also a tourist resort, popular for its sandy beaches and natural environment. Etymology The name ''M ...

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

. It was built by the

Order of Saint John The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem ( la, Ordo Fratrum Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani), commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), was a medieval and early modern Catholic military order. It was headq ...

in 1715–1716 as one of a series of coastal fortifications around the Maltese Islands. Today, the redoubt lies in ruins.

History

Tal-Bir Redoubt was built in 1715–1716 as part of the first building programme of coastal fortifications in Malta. It was part of a chain of fortifications that defended the northern coast of Malta, which also included

Aħrax Tower Aħrax Tower ( mt, Torri tal-Aħrax), originally known as ''Torre di Lacras'', and also known as Armier Tower ( mt, Torri tal-Armier), Ta' Ħoslien Tower ( mt, Torri ta' Ħoslien) or the White Tower ( mt, Torri l-Abjad), is a small watchtower over ...

, several batteries, redoubts and entrenchments. The nearest fortifications to Tal-Bir Redoubt are

Wied Musa Battery Wied Musa Battery ( mt, Batterija ta' Wied Musa), also known as Swatar Battery ( mt, Batterija tas-Swatar), is a former artillery battery in Marfa, limits of Mellieħa, Malta. It was built by the Order of Saint John in 1714–1716 as one of a ser ...

to the west and Qortin Redoubt to the east. The redoubt originally consisted of a pentagonal platform with a low parapet. A rectangular blockhouse was located at the centre of its gorge. It was not armed with any artillery. Construction of Tal-Bir Redoubt cost around 1213.8.4.3 scudi.

Present day

Today, the redoubt lies in ruins and is almost completely destroyed. Only remains of the pentagonal platform and part of its

counterscarp A scarp and a counterscarp are the inner and outer sides, respectively, of a ditch or moat used in fortifications. Attackers (if they have not bridged the ditch) must descend the counterscarp and ascend the scarp. In permanent fortifications th ...

still exist.

References

External links

National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands
Redoubts in Malta Mellieħa Hospitaller fortifications in Malta Military installations established in 1715 Ruins in Malta Limestone buildings in Malta National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands 18th-century fortifications 1715 establishments in Malta 18th Century military history of Malta {{Malta-struct-stub