| Lascaris Battery | |
|---|---|
Batterija ta' Lascaris | |
| Part of thefortifications of Valletta | |
| Valletta,Malta | |
_01_ies.jpg) Lascaris Battery, with theSaluting Battery and theUpper Barrakka Gardens in the background | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Artillery battery |
| Owner | Government of Malta |
| Condition | Intact |
| Location | |
 | |
| Map of Lascaris Battery and St. Peter & Paul Bastion | |
| Coordinates | 35°53′40.16″N14°30′46.67″E / 35.8944889°N 14.5129639°E /35.8944889; 14.5129639 |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1854–1856 |
| Built by | British Empire |
| Materials | Limestone |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Lascaris Battery (Maltese:Batterija ta' Lascaris), also known asFort Lascaris (Maltese:Forti Lascaris) orLascaris Bastion (Maltese:Sur ta' Lascaris), is anartillery battery located on the east side ofValletta,Malta. The battery was built by the British in 1854, and it is connected to the earlier St. Peter & Paul Bastion of theValletta Land Front. In World War II, theLascaris War Rooms were dug close to the battery, and they served as Britain's secret headquarters for the defence of the island.[1]
When the British took over the Maltese islands in 1800, they used thefortifications built by the Order of St. John almost without alterations. Under the military theory of the time, theRoyal Navy in theMediterranean was regarded as the most reliable protection against invasion. However, during his time as governor, SirWilliam Reid ordered gun batteries to be added inside theGrand Harbour, in order to repel any ships which broke through the cordon ofFort St. Elmo andFort St. Angelo and penetrated the harbour. Construction of Lascaris Battery began in 1854,[2] on the site ofĠnien is-Sultan, a garden that had been built by Grand MasterGiovanni Paolo Lascaris.[3][4] The battery was thus named after him.[5]
During theSecond World War, theLascaris War Rooms were dug under theUpper Barrakka Gardens and the casemates of the Lascaris Battery, into rock.[5] The network of tunnels and chambers located 150 feet (46 m) below the Upper Barrakka Gardens and the Saluting Battery were used as “The War Rooms” of Britain's War HQ in Malta.[6] The facility later housed the headquarters of theAllied invasion of Sicily during mid-1943.[7]
On 24 December 1941, Lascaris Battery, along with the Upper Barrakka Gardens and the Saluting Battery, were damaged in an air raid. The damaged parts were later rebuilt.[1]
A highbastion was built on the harbour side of SS Peter and Paul Bastion, below the rectangularSaluting Battery. Lascaris Battery has an irregular trapezoid shape with rounded corners. A shooting platform extends from the right flank. A parade ground was located inside the new bastion. Beginning in 1868, the two-storeycasemates were converted tobarracks, which, as a result, have open galleries facing the parade ground.[8]
At the beginning of the 1860s, the battery was equipped with fourteen8-inch 9-tonRML guns. In addition, four10-inch 18-ton guns were stationed on the left flank of the battery. On an additional platform beneath the left flank of the saluting battery were three 10-inchhowitzers. In 1884, the battery was armed with seven64-pound 64-cwt RML guns in the casemates, which were protected by a wall approximately 1.3 metres (4.3 ft) thick. Since these guns were outmoded, they had to be replaced by more modern artillery. A9-inch 12-ton RML gun was mounted on the battery on an openbarbette in a very exposed situation. The powder store, with a capacity of 30,500 pounds (13,800 kg), was protected only by 3 metres (9.8 ft) walls and roof. Overall, the construction of the battery was outdated and the installation no longer able to defend against modern artillery.
 Sovereign MilitaryOrder of Malta |
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|---|---|
 National CongressBattalions | |
 British Empire | |
^ Demolished/ruins | |
