The Qolla l-Bajda coastal battery in Marsalforn, Gozo, is set to be restored to its original state by the NGO Din l-Art Ħelwa.
The Executive President of Din l-Art Ħelwa, Alex Torpiano said that the plan they are working on is to restore the battery to its original state, which will include the removal of the discotheque which was added to it in the 1980s.
Weathered by the elements because of its location, the battery, known also as Qbajjar Tower has had to endure vandalism and neglect for years.
Scheduled as a Grade 1 building, there is now renewed hope that it will be restored to its former glory and to how it looked when it was built in 1715 by the Knights.
The Minister for Culture Jose Herrera has welcomed the request by Din l-Art Ħelwa to restore the site.
The battery consists of half a circle on the side of the shore with space for four cannons and two buildings on each side of the entrance, where ammunition used to be stored.
With its favourable position at the northern edge of Gozo, the tower served as a defence point against Ottoman and Barbary pirate attacks.
“We want to restore the building to its original appearance, because over the years, there were some substantial additions, it lost its configuration as a battery. Apart from being a beautiful place with a wonderful structure, it is not enormous. We have various ideas about what we can do with it, and my personal idea is for it to be a place where Maltese, Gozitan and foreign visitors can be brought to learn part of Gozo’s written history”, Torpiano said.
The battery, which was also used during WWII as a surveillance point, is unique to the Maltese islands, and Torpiano said that although over the years the sea has eroded the stone, the restoration which is being planned will try to save as much as possible of the original building.
“Our intention is always to not change the stone, but we may need to study some areas where the stone will need to be changed. Obviously, there are the gaps between the blocks of stone through which a lot of water enters, so the stone suffers. When you take over a place like this, it is not a one-time operation; it needs to be continuously cared for and maintained”, he said.