Saint Mary's Tower, also known as Comino Tower due to its location, is a fortress on Malta that was built during the reign of the Order of St. John in 1618. The tower stands on the island of Comino, located between the islands of Malta and Gozo in the Gozo Canal. It is one of a series of seven fortifications built during the reign of Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt from 1609 to 1620, known as the Wignacourt Towers. It is included in the National Inventory of the Cultural Assets of the Maltese Islands.
Prehistory
Due to its location, the island of Comino controls
the Gozo Canal and thus also the shipping traffic between the main
island and Gozo. The bays of the island, but also the bays in the
northern part of the main island, were used by corsairs to hide
their ships. From these positions, they repeatedly attacked shipping
around Malta. Despite its importance, the island had remained
unfortified for a long time. It was not until 1618 that the Order's
resources made it possible to build a fortification on Gozo.
Building and construction
Saint Mary's Tower is occasionally
attributed to the Maltese architect Vittorio Cassar. Since Cassar
probably died in 1607, this is unlikely. Because of the isolated
location, which complicated the construction, the construction costs
were higher than for the other towers built at the time. The tower
should also be able to withstand a siege for a long time, as it was
difficult to bring reserves to Comino. Therefore it was made more
massive than the other towers. This also made the construction more
expensive. The cost ended up being 18,628 scudi.
Saint Mary's
Tower has a square floor plan and four corner towers. The corner
towers are designed as half bastions. However, the flanks of these
bastions were very narrow. The base of the curtain was also in line
with that of the towers. This reduced the effectiveness of the
flanking fire. The entire tower stands on a mighty, square base,
which, like the tower, was made of limestone. The six-meter-thick
walls of the construction left space for only one small room on each
floor, vaulted with a barrel vault. The entrance was at the rear of
the tower and led to the ground floor. Access was via stairs and a
drawbridge. The flat roof with a parapet was accessed via stairs
inside the tower.
Saint Mary's Tower was originally equipped
with ten larger and six smaller cannons. The peacetime crew
consisted of sixteen soldiers.
Signals were also sent from
the platform about twenty meters above the ground. During the day
this was done by firing one of the cannons, at night by a beacon.
The garrisons on Gozo and Malta could be alerted via a signal chain
made up of towers. From the tower there is a direct line of sight to
the Mġarr ix-Xini Tower on Gozo and to the St Agatha’s Tower and the
Aħrax (White) Tower on Malta.
Extensions in the 18th century
From 1710 the existing towers were adapted to the requirements of
modern warfare. Numerous towers received batteries in front, which
were constructed according to a uniform scheme. Such a semicircular
battery was also installed immediately in front of St Mary's Tower,
with space for seven guns. A log house was built in the center of
the battery as accommodation and storage room.
French rule
During the French occupation of the islands, Saint Mary's Tower was
initially used as a prison. With the beginning of the uprising
against the French occupiers, the guns of the tower and the battery
were expanded and used in field fortifications, from which the
French troops were shelled in Valletta.
British colonial rule
At the beginning of British colonial rule, the tower was initially
continued to be used. Plans from 1813 for expansion were not
implemented. In 1828 the demolition of all towers, redoubts and
batteries built by the knights was proposed and ordered in 1832, but
St Mary's Tower remained. Like the other towers that are no longer
in use, it was handed over to the local authorities.
Saint
Mary's Tower has been used by the Armed Forces of Malta since the
end of British colonial rule.