Birkirkara Tower
Tower in Birkirkara
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Birkirkara Tower (Maltese: Torri ta' Birkirkara), also known as Għar il-Ġobon Tower (Maltese: Torri ta' Għar il-Ġobon),[1] is a tower in Birkirkara, Malta. Its date of construction is not known, but it is believed to date back to around the mid or late 16th century.
| Birkirkara Tower | |
|---|---|
Torri ta' Birkirkara | |
| Birkirkara, Malta | |
View of Birkirkara Tower | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Tower |
| Owner | Private |
| Open to the public | No |
| Condition | Intact |
| Location | |
 | |
| Coordinates | 35°54′4.1″N 14°28′1.8″E |
| Site history | |
| Built | c. 16th century |
| Materials | Limestone |
History
The tower was built for defensive purposes in the inland areas of Malta in the early periods of the Order of St. John. In the 17th century, as a lookout, the tower was aided with the building of another tower, the Tal-Wejter Tower, to better facilitate communication with Floriana.[1]
The tower was included on the Antiquities List of 1925.[2] It is now scheduled as a Grade 1 national monument by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority,[3] and it is also listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.[4]
Architecture
Birkirkara Tower has a square plan, and its roof is surrounded by a high parapet wall. The latter contains six box machicolations;[5] a pair at the left-side and two on the right-side, and one each at the front and back.
