Fort St Elmo

At the furthest point of Valletta and guarding the entrance to both Marsamxett and Grand Harbours is Fort St Elmo, named after the patron saint of mariners. Although now much altered and extended, this was the fort that bore the brunt of Turkish arms during the Great Siege of 1565. It was built by the Knights in 1552 to guard the entrances to the harbours on either side of the Sceberras Peninsula. The courtyard outside the entrance to the fort is studded with the lids of underground granaries.

Today Fort St Elmo is home to the Malta police academy and is open to the public only for historical reenactments, held at 11:00 on most Sunday mornings except during the peak summer period from mid-July to late September. In Guardia there is a colourful and photogenic military pageant in 16th-century costume, which includes a cannon-firing demonstration that will clear the wax from your ears. Alarme! is a reenactment of a military encounter between French and Maltese troops. Inquire about current prices and dates for these shows at the tourist office.