Victoria Lines, Malta

The Victoria Lines are a line of fortifications flanked by defensive towers, that spans 12 kilometres along the width of the Island of Malta, dividing the north of the island from the more heavily populated south.

Location

The Victoria Lines run along a natural geographical barrier known as the Great Fault, from Madliena in the east, through the limits of the town of Mosta at the centre of the island, to Binġemma, limits of Rabat, on the west coast of Malta.

History

There is some evidence that the Great Fault was used for defensive purposes in prehistoric times. In 1722, the Knights of Malta developed a series of infantry entrenchments along the fault, to defend against invasions from the beaches and bays in the northern part of Malta.

In the mid-1800s, the British governor of Malta undertook a large scale militarization of the Great Fault to improve the defences of the important naval bases that were stationed in the Grand Harbour area around Valletta. The construction of polygonal forts and batteries commenced in 1875. These included Fort Madliena, Fort Binġemma, and Fort Mosta. Further entrenchments were developed in the Dwejra area (the Dwejra Lines). The forts were linked together with a continuous infantry wall and a series of fortified bridges or "stop walls" in the 1890s, tracing the natural lines of the Great Fault.

Batteries, magazines and searchlights were added to the fortified lines, and large barrack complexes were developed at the eastern end in the Pembroke area, and at Mtarfa in the west.

The entire defensive complex was named the "Victoria Lines" in 1897, in commemoration of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

Military training exercises staged in May 1900 revealed that the Victoria Lines were of dubious defensive value, and by 1907, with the exception of the coastal towers, they were abandoned altogether.

In 1988 the Government of Malta submitted the Victoria Lines to UNESCO for consideration as a World Heritage Site.