Fort St Elmo sits at the seaward tip of the Valletta peninsula, its star-shaped walls watching over the point where the Grand Harbour and Marsamxett Harbour meet. Built by the Knights of St John in 1552, it bore the first and heaviest assault of the Great Siege of Malta in 1565, and the story of its defence is the defining episode in Maltese history.
- 01Fort St Elmo was built in 1552 and held against an Ottoman siege force of roughly 40,000 for 31 days in 1565 – its defence bought time for the relief force that ultimately saved Malta.
- 02The fort now houses the National War Museum, which covers Malta's military history from the Knights through to WWII, including the original George Cross awarded to the Maltese people in 1942.
- 03The museum also displays Faith – one of three Gloster Sea Gladiator biplanes that defended Malta in the early months of WWII, now fully restored.
- 04Fort St Elmo sits at the far end of Republic Street in Valletta, making it an easy final stop on a walking day through the capital.
- 05The views from the fort's seaward bastions across both harbours are among the best elevated vantage points in Valletta.
The Great Siege of 1565
In May 1565 an Ottoman fleet of around 200 ships landed a force estimated at 30,000–40,000 soldiers on Malta. The objective was to drive out the Knights of St John and use Malta as a base for further expansion into Europe.
Fort St Elmo, then much smaller than it is today, was held by approximately 1,500 knights and Maltese soldiers. The Ottoman commander, Turgut Reis (known in Europe as Dragut), expected it to fall within days. Instead, the defenders held for 31 days under continuous bombardment and repeated assault.
By the time the fort was finally taken on 23 June, almost all its defenders were dead. Dragut himself was killed by a ricocheting stone during the siege. The delay was decisive: it exhausted the Ottoman forces and gave time for a Spanish relief fleet to arrive in September, ending the siege. Malta held.
The Great Siege is the defining event in Maltese national identity. The subsequent construction of Valletta – built by the Knights specifically to prevent a second siege – stems directly from the fall and defence of Fort St Elmo.
The National War Museum
The museum inside the fort covers Malta's military history from the Knights of St John through the Second World War, with the WWII section occupying the largest space.
The centrepiece of the WWII galleries is the original George Cross, awarded by King George VI to the people of Malta in April 1942 – the only time the medal has been given to an entire people rather than an individual. The original medal and handwritten citation are displayed together.
Also on display is Faith – one of three Gloster Sea Gladiator biplanes (the others were Hope and Charity) flown by RAF pilots against overwhelming Italian air superiority in early 1940. They became a symbol of Maltese resistance. Faith is the only survivor and stands in a dedicated display, fully restored.
Other exhibits cover the Great Siege, the Knights' naval campaigns, the Napoleonic period and the British colonial era.
The fort itself
Beyond the museum, the fort's outer walls and bastions are walkable. The views from the seaward side look directly out over the open sea and back across both harbours – the Grand Harbour to the south and Marsamxett to the north. This is the position the Ottomans attacked from, and standing on the walls makes the tactical situation of the 1565 siege immediately clear.
The star-shaped plan visible from above – the classic pattern of the later Renaissance fortification style, with angled bastions designed to eliminate blind spots – was largely added after the Great Siege. The original fort the Knights defended in 1565 was smaller and less sophisticated.
Fort St Elmo as part of a Valletta day
Fort St Elmo sits at the far end of Republic Street, Valletta's main artery, about 15 minutes' walk from the City Gate entrance. The natural approach is to work down Republic Street in order: City Gate and the Parliament building, then St John's Co-Cathedral about halfway along, then the Upper Barrakka Gardens, then continue to Fort St Elmo at the tip.
Alternatively, the fort makes a good morning start: arrive at opening, see the museum while it is quiet, then walk back up Republic Street through the city as it comes to life.
The full things to do in Valletta guide covers the other key stops and how to structure the day.
Either way, the walk along Republic Street from City Gate to the fort tip is worth doing regardless – even if you only spend 20 minutes at the walls for the harbour views before turning back.
Featured image: Txllxt TxllxT / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
