Fort St. Elmo at Valletta's tip fell after a 31-day siege in 1565, but delayed the Turks enough for Malta to survive. 1,500 defenders and 8,000 Turks died. Now the National War Museum.
Fort St. Elmo stands at the very tip of the Sciberras Peninsula, where Valletta now lies. In May 1565, when a massive Ottoman fleet (approximately 40,000 soldiers) attacked Malta, the fort became the first target. For 31 days, a handful of about 1,500 defenders (Knights of Malta, Spanish soldiers, and Maltese volunteers) repelled assaults from a vastly larger enemy.
The fort fell on 23 June 1565. All defenders were killed or executed after capture. But the Turks paid a huge price: approximately 8,000 soldiers died taking a small fort they had expected to capture in days. Suleiman the Magnificent, informed of the losses, reportedly said: "If so small a fort cost us so many men, what price shall we pay for the rest?" The delay gave the Grand Masters time to prepare the defence of the rest of the island.
Today the fort houses the National War Museum, with exhibits from the Bronze Age to World War II. The most important exhibits include the George Cross awarded to Malta by King George VI in 1942 for the heroism of civilians during the bombing, and aircraft wreckage from the Battle of Malta.
Practical tip: Entry EUR 10, allow 2 hours. The Great Siege re-enactment "In Guardia" takes place on Sundays (check Heritage Malta for dates). Great views of both harbours — Grand Harbour and Marsamxett.
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Entry EUR 10. Every Sunday at 11:00 the "In Guardia" military parade.
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Casa Rocca Piccola reveals Valletta’s private aristocratic layer, less visible from the city’s fortifications.
The memorial recalls the victims of the 1940-1942 siege of Malta, when the island was a key Allied position.
Lower Barrakka gives a quieter view of the Grand Harbour entrance and helps explain Valletta’s maritime layout.