The war-damaged 17^th century chapel dedicated to St Roque on top of St Michael’s Counterguard is to be rebuilt as part of the bastions’ restoration project.

An old Heritage Malta photo showing the chapel in its original state.

Resources Minister George Pullicino gave an overview of the restoration project during a boat trip around the bastions this morning.

He said that the chapel, that had been completely destroyed except for the altar, pointed towards Lazareth Hospital.

The chapel only had space for the priest who used to celebrate mass for the people at the hospital and the people on ships in quarantine.

The Valletta bastions’ restoration €30 million project is being funded through ERDF funds and locally.

A 1948 photo showing the chapel after it was damaged in the war.

The ERDF is also funding the restoration of the bastions in Vittoiosa, at the Cittadella and in Mdina.

The restoration will be completed by the end of next year.

Substantial work has already been carried out and the bastions of St Barbara and St Andrews are fully restored. Biago Steps, part of which had been destroyed in the war, will be inaugurated as a fortifications centre in the coming weeks.

The bridge connected St Andrew’s Bastion to St Michael has also been restored but it has not yet been opened to the public.

Restoration is currently underway on St Chrisopher’s bastion.

An impression of the chapel on St Michael's Counterguard.

The plan, the minister said, is to extend the cruise liner terminal to the fish market, which is being transformed into a boutique hotel.

Work is also being carried out on the bastion of St Peter and St Paul Bastion, which is 57 metres  high and is beneath the Upper Barrakka.

Mr Pullicino said that tenders for the restoration of the bastions at Senglea point were being prepared.

He said that the former oil depot at Castille Post in Vittoriosa, which overlooked Kalkara Creek, was being transformed into a Great Siege themed garden.