San Rocco Battery, Artillery battery in Kalkara, Malta
San Rocco Battery is an artillery installation in Kalkara that originally comprised two gun platforms connected by rubble walls. The site contained a magazine built using timber salvaged from demolished houses in Paola, and was later replaced by Fort Saint Rocco, constructed by British forces in the 1870s near the Grand Harbour entrance.
The battery was established in 1798 during the French blockade of Malta and served as a strategic position armed with ten guns and two mortars by 1800. It played a role in the resistance against French occupation before being replaced by later British fortifications.
The fortification takes its name from Saint Roch, a Catholic saint traditionally invoked for protection against plague in Mediterranean cultures. This choice reflects local religious beliefs and the deep connection between faith and the built landscape.
The original site is located near the Grand Harbour entrance, a key area for understanding the harbour's military defences. It is worth exploring the surrounding fortifications from this point to gain a fuller picture of Malta's defence architecture.
The installation facilitated communication between Maltese insurgents and the 30th Cambridgeshire Regiment during the resistance against French occupation. This cooperation was essential for coordinating local defence efforts against a superior foreign force.
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