Arrias Battery

Arrias Battery is an artillery fortification in St. Paul's Bay featuring a rectangular platform with a rounded northern end and a low parapet equipped with a single embrasure facing the Mediterranean Sea. The stone structure now serves as a restaurant venue while maintaining its original architectural form.

The Order of Saint John constructed this fortification between 1715 and 1716 as part of their defensive network to protect the Maltese Islands from sea attacks. It served as a key guardian of Xemxija Bay from its completion onward.

An inscription above the main entrance honors Knight Emmanuele Arrias, after whom this coastal defense structure takes its name. The name has become permanently tied to the building's identity and purpose.

This location sits in an accessible coastal setting and can be reached on foot from the nearby village area. Now operating as a restaurant, it allows visitors to both dine and walk through the historic rooms and spaces.

This installation ranks among the few remaining coastal defenses built by the Order of Saint John and holds protected monument status. Its companion position, Dellia Battery, was demolished in 1924 and survives only in historical records.

Location: St. Paul's Bay

Inception: 1715

GPS coordinates: 35.94744,14.38297

Latest update: December 14, 2025 13:00