Qolla l-Bajda Battery, Artillery battery in Żebbuġ, Malta.
Qolla l-Bajda Battery is an artillery installation on the northern coast of Gozo featuring a semi-circular gun platform. The structure is protected by a parapet wall with six embrasures that allowed gunners to fire across the sea.
The Order of Saint John built this military installation between 1715 and 1716 as part of the coastal defense system. It served to guard against potential sea threats during the centuries when Mediterranean naval power remained a concern.
The battery demonstrates the military building methods of the Knights of Malta and reflects the defensive strategies pursued during naval wars in the Mediterranean. Visitors today can still see the structural remains and understand how the fortification was organized.
The site is currently abandoned and not set up for public visits, but the ruins remain visible from outside. Best visited during clear weather when the coastal paths are safe to walk.
During the 1970s, the fortification was converted into a nightclub called Rook, which led to alterations of its original structure. This unusual transformation left traces that remain visible today.
Location: Żebbuġ Gozo
Inception: 1715
GPS coordinates: 36.07983,14.25128
Latest update: December 6, 2025 17:41
Malta contains numerous historical sites and natural landscapes away from the main tourist areas. The islands hold prehistoric temple complexes such as Skorba and Ta' Ħaġrat near Mġarr, Roman remains including the Roman Villa at Żejtun and ancient bath sites, and Ghar Dalam, a cave with Ice Age fossil deposits. The geological diversity appears at locations like Il-Maqluba, a natural sinkhole crater, and the Blue Grotto near Żurrieq, while coastal fortifications such as Mistra Battery and the Red Tower document the island's defensive heritage. Religious sites mark the rural areas, including the Chapel of Santa Marija Tal-Virtu in Rabat and the chapels of Qrendi. The Buskett Gardens and San Anton Gardens provide green spaces with historical significance, while Il-Majjistral Nature and History Park protects coastal habitats. Archaeological complexes like Tas-Silġ show layers of Phoenician, Roman and Byzantine settlement. The Victoria Lines near Rabat, an 18th-century defensive wall, and Fort Binġemma demonstrate military architecture from different periods. Gozo adds locations such as Mgarr ix-Xini, a sheltered inlet, and Il-Qolla l-Bajda Battery.
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