Fort St Elmo

The last bastion of the Great Siege

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 cost of the siege

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.

National War Museum

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.