The Restoration Directorate, which falls within the Ministry for Justice, Culture and Local Government, has embarked on restoring the entrance of Fort Madliena, which was extensively damaged, and partially collapsed due to heavy rainfall last April.
"Through this intervention by the Restoration Directorate, we are aiding to further preserve and restore our country's historical monuments and sites, which form an intrinsic aspect in the shaping of our identity as Maltese. Not only are we ensuring a safer passage to the Fort, which is yet another remnant of the British period in Malta, but we are also securing the entryway by making it more accessible and nearer to the original,"stated Minister for Justice, Culture and Local Government Owen Bonnici during his visit.
The Restoration Directorate has started by removing the collapsed material and any safety hazards present on site.
Following the execution of these works, which were carried out with immediate effect, the Restoration Directorate will, in the coming weeks, take in hand the restoration of this same entrance. Restoration works will involve the temporary dismantling of sections which are out of plumb and their eventual re-erection; the replacement of cladding stones which were used during some past maintenance/ restoration intervention with special sized stones having the same dimensions as those used in the original British construction; the formation of weeping holes to allow rain water drainage from the wall's backfill material and the pointing of open mortar joints.
Fort Madliena dates back to 1878-1880. It is one of the three forts built by the British along the Victoria Lines and takes its name from the chapel dedicated to Mary Magdalene which stood on the site in the 15th century.