Ferretti Battery

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
Ferretti Battery
Batterija ta' Ferretti
Qajjenza, Birżebbuġa, Malta
300px
View of the Ferretti Battery from the landward side, showing the blockhouses and the redan
300px
Map of Ferretti Battery
Coordinates Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Type Artillery battery
Site information
Owner Government of Malta
Controlled by Private tenant
Open to
the public		 Yes (as a restaurant)
Condition Intact
Website ferretti.com.mt
Site history
Built 1715–1716
Built by Order of Saint John
Materials Limestone

Ferretti Battery (Maltese: Batterija ta' Ferretti), also known as Qajjenza Battery (Maltese: Batterija tal-Qajjenza) or Saint George's Battery (Maltese: Batterija ta' San Ġorġ),[1] is an artillery battery in the village of Qajjenza, within the limits of Birżebbuġa, in Malta.[2] It was built by the Order of Saint John between 1715 and 1716 as one of a series of coastal fortifications around the coasts of the Maltese Islands. A restaurant exists within the walls of the battery, serving Mediterranean cuisine.

History

Ferretti Battery was built in 1715-1716 as part of the first building programme of coastal batteries in Malta. It was part of a chain of fortifications that defended Marsaxlokk Bay, which also included six other batteries, the large Saint Lucian Tower, two smaller De Redin towers, four redoubts and three entrenchments.[3] The battery was named after the knight Francesco Maria Ferretti, who provided over 900 scudi for its construction.[4]

File:Above entrance of Ferretti Battery.jpeg
Defaced coats of arms above the battery's main entrance

The battery consists of a semi-circular gun platform, with a parapet containing eight embrasures. Its gorge has two blockhouses linked by a redan, all of which are pierced by musketry loopholes. The redan also contains the main entrance, which was surmounted by three coats of arms, now defaced. The battery was originally surrounded by a shallow rock hewn ditch.

The battery was decommissioned sometime in the 19th century, and was later converted into a summer residence and a boathouse. The parapet with embrasures was demolished, while the ditch was converted into a moat filled with seawater. A high seawall was built around the entire battery.

Present day

File:Ferretti Battery interior.jpeg
Interior of the restaurant

Today, the battery is used as a restaurant, named Ferretti after the knight who built the battery. The restaurant serves typical Mediterranean cuisine, and is one of the most popular restaurants in the south of Malta.[5]

The structure itself is in a fair state of preservation. Some of the missing embrasures have been rebuilt, and despite some modern alterations, the structure still retains most of its features.[4]

Gallery

  • Ferretti Battery from sea side.jpeg

    The gun platform, now the restaurant's terrace

  • Ferretti Battery and later additions.jpeg

    The moat and seawall

  • Ferretti batterija.jpeg

    The blockhouse and redan

  • Ferretti gun holes.jpeg

    Musketry loopholes

  • Ferretti Restaurant.jpeg

    Inside the restaurant with musketry loopholes used as small windows

  • Ferretti defence.jpeg

    The moat

  • Restorant Ferretti.jpeg

    The gun platform and parapet with embrasures

  • Ferretti Battery new bridge.jpeg

    Modern entrance to the restaurant

  • Ferretti battery and restaurant.jpeg

    The seawall with the battery in the background

  • Ferretti entrance.jpeg

    Original entrance to the battery

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Ferretti_Battery&oldid=716941493"