National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands

National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands
NICPMI Inv. No.
Date of Publication
Updated Version
Property Name
Għajn Tuffieħa
Town Name
Għajn Tuffieħa
Property Owner Government
Period
Phase
30 March 2012
28 June 2013
Għajn Tuffieħa Tower
Address
Guardianship Deed
0057
Local Council Mġarr
Toponym Managing Body
Gaia Foundation
-
Modern (17th Century)
Early Modern: Knights of St John (17th Century)
Cultural Heritage
Type & Value
Historical
Architectural
Technical
Cultural Heritage
Property Value
Assessment
Very High
Property Function
Fortification
Conservation Area
AEI, AHLV
Outline Description
Coastal tower
Property Description
Ghajn Tuffieha Tower is one of the coastal towers erected by Grand Master
Lascaris in 1638. It was designed as a watch-tower and consists basically of a
simple rectangular structure, about 11m high and 36m2 in plan. The tower has a
sloping lower half. Internally, it consists two single-roomed floors with external
access provided solely to the upper floor, originally reached either by a wooden
ladder or scala di corda. The first floor rest on springs arches while the roof rests
on wooden beams. The tower had no original masonry staircase. Two
stringcourses ( cordons), one at the upper level of the scarped walls, and the
other at the base of the parapet provided some decorative elements. A small
plaque with the coat of arms of Grand Master Lascaris ( a double-headed eagle)
is set above the main entrance. A small rectangular cookhouse, was grafted to the
side of the tower during the early nineteenth century by the British military.
Scheduled by MEPA
Yes
Recommended
Bibliography
Degree of Protection
Grade 1
G.N. No.
S.C. Spiteri, Fortresses of the Cross (Malta,1994), 490
729
G.N. Date
1995
Coordinates : Easting
40826
76675
Property Plan
Property Images
Northing : Coordinates