Work will be carried out in the coming months to restore parts of the Lascaris bastion and turn it into a huge heritage area – perhaps the largest in Malta.

Yesterday, Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna launched the restoration work for the entire project, which includes the Saluting Battery, the Lascaris War Rooms, the crypt of the Garrison Church, the War Headquarters, the NATO War Rooms, the Saints Peter and Paul Counterguard and the unfinished tunnels inside the Counterguard.

This renovation work is part of the Renewed Visitor Venues – the Re.Vi.Ve Project, which is co-financed by the European Union’s European Regional Development Fund.

FWA has obtained funds amounting to €2.3 million, of which the bulk will be spent on this renovation project, with only €0.5 million being spent on a small project in Vittoriosa.

When the Valletta work has been completed, which should be by March next year, visitors will be able to enjoy these seven venues as parts of one huge heritage park, that may be the largest in Malta, all for the price of one ticket. Being so large, it may also be possible for the ticket to remain valid for a number of days so that people can continue their visit on another day.

The area itself covers 9,000 square metres, but because it is at different levels – all the way down from the Upper Barrakka to Lascaris Ditch – there will be a lot to see.

The following is a rough idea of the attractions the Heritage Park will include:

Garrison Crypt

Many people may know this place as the Castille Cellars, situated underneath the Malta Stock Exchange, which until a short time ago was a wine bar. But its history is more varied.

It was created as part of the counterguard defensive structures in the 17th century. Essentially, it led to an open battery, similar to the one alongside St James Cavalier.

Rather than entering from alongside the Stock exchange entrance, the restoration will open up the original entrance which is around the corner. There a ramp (to be restored) that enabled the guns to be brought down to the battery level.

In the 1860s, the British roofed over the open battery and built the Garrison Church. Later on, the crypt served as a night club – a sort of extension to the Vernon Club (today the Central Bank).

During World War II, this place served as the coordination point for all anti-aircraft artillery in Malta. Later on, a secondary centre was established in Mosta, but this was the real centre of Malta’s brave anti-aircraft defence, when the country was being attacked around the clock by countless waves of German planes.

FWA intend to turn this crypt into an entrance to the Saluting Battery and to exhibit in it artefacts connected with the Saluting Battery.

The Saluting Battery

Earlier this year, work was carried out on the surface of the Saluting Battery, which had to be covered with membrane as rainwater was seeping down in to the vaults of the War Rooms.

This phase of the work has now been completed and the Saluting Battery now sports an attractive grassed area. It also has eight new guns, purchased from Britain at a cost of €350,000. These guns are of the type that was used between 1902 and 1924, technically known as a 32-pounder smooth bore breach loader and they replaced an older type of gun that was used in the 19th century.

The Saluting Battery, as is well known, is very popular with visitors to Malta, who flock there to watch the noon-time firing of the gun.

Since the Upper Barrakka (like the Opera House) has no roof, FWA will be creating an alternative venue for when there is inclement weather. The steps down to the Saluting Battery from inside the Barrakka will include a platform from which visitors will be able to watch the firing of the gun without getting wet. The main arch will also have a glass door to better protect visitors from rain and cold.

On what we may call the lawn, behind the guns, are the old stone remains of the tomb of a Lieutenant Governor in Governor Abercrombie’s time (19th century). The monument, in the form of a Greek sarcophagus, was damaged in World War II and is to be restored. Fortunately, there exists a very detailed print of the tomb by Brockdorff to enable the restoration.

The Saints Peter and Paul Counterguard

The government has begun work in preparation for the re-establishment of the Barrakka Lift. Across the ditch from the Barrakka, is the Saints Peter and Paul Counterguard, which is linked to the Saluting Battery level by a bridge and a tunnel.

The tunnel exits on the other side of the Barrakka, near the Café des Deux Baronnes. Again, this was originally built by the Knights. The British retained the original entrance but adapted it for wartime use and this can still be seen today – with the doorway being protected by a blast wall. During the war years, there was also a gas curtain to prevent poisoning in the event of a gas attack.

Work to clear up this tunnel has been delayed because some asbestos has been found that requires proper handling.

The counterguard is huge and is subject to frequent vandalism. Some time ago, a squatter lived there in indescribable filth. The counterguard has enormous halls, which were used in the time of the Knights to store munitions. Some of the wooden pallets that were used for the storing of explosives still exist. These are to be restored and an exhibition space will be created to show the various types of ammunition that was used in those days.

Like the Upper Barrakka, the counterguard offers impressive views over Grand Harbour and the Valletta Cruise Terminal. One part of the counterguard will be used as a fireworks museum, because Maltese fireworks are derived from the explosives that were stored in the polverista.

The War HQ and

the Nato War Rooms

Beneath the Barrakka and the Saluting Battery are what are known as the War Rooms. Actually, there are two sets of war rooms, facing each other on either side of the tunnel that leads to Lascaris.

One is the famous War HQ, where charts and maps show the preparation for the invasion of Sicily and it is easy to visualise the hectic atmosphere during operation times. The other was almost a mirror image, created during the Cold War in case a centre of operations was ever needed.

Down at Lascaris Ditch, one hut underneath the road leading to Castille will be preserved. Its generous dimensions could be used to house objects connected to the Cold War, such as disarmed missiles, FWA’s Mario Farrugia mused.

The unfinished tunnels

Also buried in the huge bastions are what are known as the unfinished tunnels.

This was a project undertaken during World War II when it was planned to create a huge air-raid shelter inside the bastions that could accommodate the entire administration.

A room was even prepared for the bishop, according to Mr Farrugia.

One amazing thing about these unfinished tunnels is that they have been abandoned as if a sudden calamity had killed off all those who were working on the project. The carriages to carry the rock away are still there, as are the tracks and mounds of rubble.

So by March, hopefully, this huge new attraction will be added to Malta’s tourist attractions that will show the history of warfare from the Great Siege to the Cold War, said Mr Farrugia.