Learn about bygone days at Fort Rinella, an extraordinary display of Malta’s military history looking out from the magnificent Grand Harbour.
Also known as Rinella Battery, Fort Rinella was built during the British occupation between 1878 and 1886. At the time, Italy was building up its warships and Britain became more protective of Malta because the small island nation had become important on the route to India across the Mediterranean Sea. Notice that the area is quite compact, although its design is recognizable, with a dry ditch around the battery and an entry gate hidden by the angles of the approaching road. This battery is unique. Because it was an early mechanized fort, it didn’t need to house as many soldiers as did prior fortresses.
People come to Fort Rinella from across the world to see its centerpiece. Its huge muzzle-loading cannon, the 100-ton (90-metric-ton) Armstrong Gun, is one of the largest of its kind ever built and one of only two world-wide that have survived. When the huge gun was installed, it was seen as a landmark of the new industrial age and had unprecedented power. It was so huge that its loading and firing required a coal-fired, steam-driven hydraulics system.
On many afternoons, watch people in old-fashioned military costumes doing live reenactments, including firing a musket. Occasionally the big gun itself is fired. Fort Rinella has undergone extensive restoration by the Malta Heritage Foundation and has been used as a set for several films. Visitors will get a guided tour, a film screening and reenactments that include military drills, signaling and swordsmanship at various times throughout the day.
There is an admission fee to enter Fort Rinella. You can also add more historical stops to your Maltese vacation if you purchase a Multi-Site Heritage Pass, giving access to the Malta at War Museum, Fort Rinella, Lascaris War Rooms and the Saluting Battery. This fort is between Fort Ricasoli and Fort St. Rocco and is very accessible by local buses or car.
