The story that is Fort Tigné

When we consider the importance of heritage buildings, we generally think of the wonder of their architecture, the age of their stones and the stereotomy skills of the builders. These features are all very visible (even in the eyes of developers looking for places to set up their luxury hotels) and do not need much explaining. Their place in history, however, needs to be explicitly presented, otherwise we forget.

Fort Tigné is not just another fort in the fortifications systems protecting our shores and, in particular, Valletta. Its story is special.

The site was previously referred to as Dragut Point, because it was the point where, in the 1565 Great Siege, the Ottoman commander set up a powerful battery that was instrumental in the fall of Fort St Elmo. It is also the place where it is reported that Dragut (Turkut Reis) was hit in the head by cannonball splinters and killed – possibly the turning point of the siege by the Ottoman invaders.

The importance of the promontory in the defence of Valletta was recognised during the construction of the extensive fortification systems that the Knights of the Order of St John creat­ed, from Fort Ricasoli to the south, all around to Fort Manoel, to protect their new capital, Valletta and its harbours.

However, it was only in the late 18th century that the funds were found, thanks to the support of Grandmaster de Rohan and the Bailiff François Rene Jacob de Tigné, for the construction of the fort. It was built between 1793 and 1795, to the design of Antoine Etienne de Tousard, reportedly by master mason Antonio Cachia – that is, we should be celebrating its 230th birthday this year.

The lateness in executing the fortification explains why this fort had a revolutionary innovative design for Malta. It is one of the first polygonal forts in the world. The diamond shape layout of the four flanks, embracing the small seven-roomed barracks block in the middle, and anchored at the entrance by a strong bomb-roof round keep, is unique in Malta. The flanks were basically long vaulted chambers, fitted with musketry loopholes, to protect the internal space around the block, and the external star-shaped dry ditch around.

For the first time in Malta, the ditch was provided with counterscarp galleries, complete with musketry loopholes, along three corners of the outer edge of the ditch, connected to the main block by underground passages. In addition, an elaborate system of countermines was linked to these galleries and opened up like fingers under the glacis surrounding the ditch, to be blown up under the feet of the attackers.

This was a small fort but it was effectively the only fort that offered any resistance to the French Navy in 1798, preventing the French Navy from entering Marsamxett, and offering fire cover to Chevalier de Soubiros, who rallied out in a galley to attack the French landing boats, until General Vaubois had to respond to the damage caused by Fort Tigné by landing guns to attack it.

Fort Tigné was also the first fort, in September 1800, to raise the Union Jack when the British Navy blockaded the French and forced them to capitulate.

Its strategic position explains why it was subsequently equipped with the latest artillery, a whole range of state-of-the-art military technology, particularly along the north shore. Its form was considered as ideal for small, strong forts and became a prototype for polygonal forts built elsewhere in the Empire. Indeed, in 1898, it was one of two forts in Malta (the other being Fort Ricasoli) to be equipped with a revol­utionary (and experimental) wire-controlled torpedo system, the Brennan torpedo in this case, to protect against boats attacking Marsamxett Bay. The remains of the mechanism could still be seen, linked to the underground passages built by the Knights.

The whole system, from Fort Tigné to Cambridge Battery, constitutes a unique military heritage complex- Alex Torpiano

Three concrete coastal gun emplacements were built in 1899 by the British Army along the north edge of the ditch, and, although deteriorating, the related underground bunkers and machinery still exist.

During World War II, the underground chambers constructed along the southern coast under Fort Tigné were used to store torpedos to re-arm submarines before they ventured back into the battle for the Mediterranean Sea. The rails for the loading trailers could still be seen embedded in the rock coast below.

When the British left Malta in 1979, the place was abandoned and, unfortunately, vandalised; parts of it were brutalised to accommodate a desalination plant in the outer ditch, supplying water to Valletta. The fort was completely restored in the early 2000s but, unfortunately, left closed ever since.

During the restoration process, it was discovered that a breach in the northern edge of the ditch led to the three 19th-century gun emplacements (two covered by residential units built by the British Army) that comprised the Garden Battery built in 1882 and which linked Fort Tigné to Cambridge Battery built in 1880 – incidentally, another military heritage asset that was completely restored after the ravaging suffered by being incorporated into a hotel but which has since remained closed to the public.

The whole system, from Fort Tigné to Cambridge Battery, constitutes a unique military heritage complex, sadly not accessible to the public and, hence, unappreciated.

The development brief published by government in 1993 did envisage a hotel to be built in the ditch of the fort instead of the desalination plant and incorporated a major high-rise feature. Thankfully, MIDI ignored this disastrous brief suggestion and restored the fort as close as possible to its original design; one hopes that this will not all have been in vain.

Fort Tigné has a unique story and it does not deserve to become merely the background to cocktail-sipping VIPs. It needs to be opened to the public and visitors and its centuries-long story to be told properly. It can become, effectively, the only heritage attraction in Sliema, if only we do not always try to reduce heritage to potential revenue.

Alex Torpiano is a council member of Din l-Art Ħelwa.