Vestingwerken in Birgu

Birgu's Fortifications

Birgu’s defensive landscape is defined by its massive land front and the strategic Fort Saint Angelo. These fortifications, largely constructed or enhanced by the Order of St. John, protected the city during the Great Siege of 1565. The system includes high-platform cavaliers like St. James and St. John’s, designed for artillery placement, and complex gate structures such as the Couvre de Porte. This network of bastions and ramparts served as the primary military stronghold of the Grand Harbour for centuries.