Capuchin Convent Battery (), also known as Kalkara Battery (), was an

artillery battery In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit or multiple systems of artillery, mortar systems, rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers, surface-to-surface missiles, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, etc., so grouped to f ...

Kalkara Kalkara () is a village in the Port Region of Malta, with a population of 3,014 as of March 2014. The name is derived from the Latin word for lime (Calce), and it is believed that there was a lime kiln present there since Roman times. Kalkara ...

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 ...

, built by Maltese insurgents during the

French blockade French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), a ...

of 1798–1800. It was part of a chain of batteries, redoubts and entrenchments encircling the French positions in Marsamxett and the

Grand Harbour The Grand Harbour (; ), also known as the Port of Marsa, is a natural harbour on the island of Malta. It has been substantially modified over the years with extensive docks ( Malta Dockyard), wharves, and fortifications. Description The h ...

. Capuchin Convent Battery was built overlooking Kalkara Creek. The battery was located adjacent to a Capuchin convent which had been built between 1736 and 1743. The convent sheltered it from bombardment from the nearby

Cottonera Lines The Cottonera Lines (), also known as the Valperga Lines (), are a line of fortifications in Bormla and Birgu, Malta. They were built in the 17th and 18th centuries on higher ground and further outwards than the earlier line of fortifications, k ...

and the Post of Castile. It was medium-sized, and it blocked a country lane which led towards the creek. Its armament is not known. The battery was possibly built by

Alexander Ball Rear-Admiral Sir Alexander John Ball, 1st Baronet (22 July 1757 – 25 October 1809) was a Royal Navy officer and colonial administrator who served as the civil commissioner of Malta from 1799 to 1801 and again from 1802 to 1809. He was born in ...

. Construction started in January 1799, and was completed within a month. Like the other French blockade fortifications, the battery was dismantled, possibly sometime after 1814. No traces of the battery can be seen today, but the convent still exists, although it has been modified.

References

Artillery battery fortifications in Malta Kalkara Military installations established in 1799 Demolished buildings and structures in Malta French occupation of Malta Vernacular architecture in Malta Limestone buildings in Malta 1799 establishments in Malta {{Malta-stub