Crivelli Redoubt (), also known as Barriera Redoubt () or Armier Redoubt (), is a

redoubt A redoubt (historically redout) is a Fortification, fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on Earthworks (engineering), earthworks, although some are constructed of ston ...

in Armier Bay,

Mellieħa 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, natural environment, and Popeye Village nearby. Etymology The n ...

Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...

. It was built by the

Order of Saint John The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), is a Catholic Church, Catholic Military order (religious society), military order. It was founded in the Crusader states, crusader K ...

in 1715–1716 as part of a series of coastal fortifications around the Maltese Islands. Today, the redoubt is in good condition. In the early 19th century, Crivelli Redoubt was also known as La Canniere Redoubt.

History

Crivelli 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 (), originally known as ''Torre di Lacras'', and also known as Armier Tower (), Ta' Ħoslien Tower () or the White Tower (), is a small watchtower overlooking Armier Bay in the limits of Mellieħa, Malta. It was built in 1658 as th ...

, several batteries, redoubts and entrenchments. The nearest fortifications to Crivelli Redoubt are Vendôme Battery to the west and the Louvier Entrenchment to the east. The redoubt was named after the Prior of

Capua Capua ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in the province of Caserta, in the region of Campania, southern Italy, located on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. History Ancient era The name of Capua comes from the Etruscan ''Capeva''. The ...

, Ferdinando Crivelli, who financed the money needed for its construction. It was probably designed by the French engineer Philip Maigret. The redoubt consists of a pentagonal platform with a low parapet. A rectangular

blockhouse A blockhouse is a small fortification, usually consisting of one or more rooms with loopholes, allowing its defenders to fire in various directions. It is usually an isolated fort in the form of a single building, serving as a defensive stro ...

with two rooms is located at the centre of its gorge, and the main entrance has an inscription making reference to the knight Crivelli. The redoubt is surrounded by a ditch, which is partially rock hewn. It was not armed with any artillery.

Present day

By the early 21st century, the redoubt was in ruins, with the left wall and part of the roof of the blockhouse having been collapsed, with the façade being unstable. The damage has since been repaired. Crivelli Redoubt is the best preserved redoubt in Mellieħa, since the others have been demolished or are in a worse state of preservation.

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 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-geo-stub