Saint Mark's Tower (), originally known as ''Torre del Cortin'' and also known as Qalet Marku Tower (), is a small

watchtower A watchtower or guardtower (also spelt watch tower, guard tower) is a type of military/paramilitary or policiary tower used for guarding an area. Sometimes fortified, and armed with heavy weaponry, especially historically, the structures are ...

in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, limits of

Naxxar Naxxar () is a town and local council in the Northern Region of Malta. The population in March 2014 was 14,891. The Naxxar Church is dedicated to Our Lady of Victories. The annual village feast is celebrated on 8 September. It formerly hoste ...

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 completed in 1658 as the third of the

De Redin towers The De Redin Towers () are a series of small coastal watchtowers built in Malta by the Knights Hospitaller, Order of Saint John between 1658 and 1659. Thirteen towers were built around the coast of Malta (island), mainland Malta to act as watchto ...

. Today, the tower is in good condition.

History

Saint Mark's Tower was built in 1658 on Qrejten Point in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, on the north shore of Malta. It was built on or near the site of a medieval watch post. It has sight of Għallis Tower to the west, and Madliena Tower to the east. Construction of the tower cost 408 scudi. The tower follows the standard design of the De Redin towers, having a square plan with two floors and a turret on the roof. In 1741, a fougasse was built close to the tower, and it was believed to have been lost until it was rediscovered during road works in the area in 2014. The tower was no longer operational by 1743, however in 1792 the Congregation of War ordered that the tower be rearmed with a 3-pounder iron gun. The British built a small guard room in front of the tower, but this is now in ruins.

Present day

Saint Mark's Tower is managed by

Din l-Art Ħelwa () is a non-governmental and non-profit, voluntary organisation founded in 1965 by Maltese Judge Maurice Caruana Curran to safeguard Malta's cultural heritage and natural environment. Since its foundation, Din l-Art Ħelwa has restored numerous ...

, who restored it in 1997. The tower is in good condition, but the area around it has been criticized for the amount of litter left there, mainly by people camping on the peninsula. Qalet Marku 2

The tower is open to the public by appointment.

References

External links

National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands
{{Historic Watch Towers of Malta, east= Madliena Tower, west= Għallis Tower De Redin towers Towers completed in 1658 Naxxar National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands 1658 establishments in Malta