Save Fort San Salvatore, NGO and MP insist as country focuses on Fort Tigné

A heritage NGO and a parliamentary secretary insisted on Wednesday that the country must not ignore the urgent need for action to save Fort San Salvatore in Kalkara, even as the focus is currently on Fort Tigné. Both historic sites are in private hands.

"This historic landmark has stood for centuries, yet today it risks being lost forever", the Assoċjazzjoni Wirt il-Kalkara (Kalkara Heritage Association) said in a statement about Fort San Salvatore.

"While we acknowledge the fort’s private ownership, its current state demands immediate, coordinated intervention by the Government and all relevant stakeholders."

It insisted that the fort deserves the same level of visibility and commitment as other historic sites to ensure its survival.

The fort is currently in private hands and the association said it is calling on the authorities to pursue its formal acquisition, whether through direct purchase or by offering the current owners equitable compensation, such as an alternative site of comparable value.

Site could become 'a historically themed hotel' 

"Alongside acquisition, we call for immediate stabilisation works and a comprehensive condition assessment, followed by a phased restoration plan aligned with best conservation practices," the NGO said.

"To ensure efficiency and accountability, a dedicated, time-bound task force should be established to coordinate works, permits, and funding opportunities. Finally, the fort’s future must embrace a sustainable, community-oriented reuse, such as an immersive heritage experience, potentially a historically themed hotel complemented by educational and cultural spaces, enhancing cultural tourism and creating quality employment for the area," the association said.

"A restored fort can become a living public asset, strengthening the area’s cultural offer, attracting visitors, and supporting local employment."

It added that it is prepared to help the authorities with local knowledge, documentation, and outreach, working towards a solution that puts heritage and community first.

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Secretary Glenn Bedingfield, whose constituency includes Kalkara, in a letter to Times of Malta on Wednesday also lamented Fort Salvatore's lack of visibility compared to Fort Tigné, currently also held by private owners.

"Some time ago, when I headed the Fondazzjoni Kottonera, I proposed an exchange between the private owners of Fort San Salvatore and the government. 

"The aim was simple. To secure the fort for public ownership and long-term preservation, while offering a fair and structured solution to the owners. It was a practical proposal, made in the national interest. The reaction? I was accused of colluding with private investors," he said.

No serious discussion was held on the merits of the proposal. There was no debate on whether such exchanges could be a useful tool to safeguard heritage. Just suspicion, accusations and noise. And the fort is still privately owned, still neglected, still absent from today’s debates and headlines.

Historic role

Located between Kalkara and Vittoriosa, Fort Salvatore was built by the Knights of St John in 1724 and formed a key part of the Cottonera defences. It served as a prisoner of war camp in the First World War.

In the 20th century, it housed a number of those interned by the British colonial government at the start of the Second World War for allegedly having Italian or German sympathies, including future Prime Minister Nerik Mizzi.