Wignacourt Tower

The Wignacourt Tower at St Paul's Bay was built in 1610, the first of the coastal watchtowers put up by Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt and the oldest to survive. It is a square block with four corner turrets and a raised entrance reached originally by ladder, designed to hold a small garrison and to signal along the coast. It was restored and opened as a small museum with material on the tower system and the coastal defences.

History

Plans and a model of the tower were presented to the Order's council on 7 November 1609, and Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt, who paid for the towers himself, attended the laying of the first stone on 10 February 1610; it cost 6748 scudi, and a coastal battery was added beside it in 1715 (Wikipedia, Wignacourt Tower).

What's there

• The 1610 date - the earliest surviving coastal watchtower on the islands.
• The raised entrance - the doorway set above ground level for defence.
• The corner turrets - the four projecting turrets covering the walls.
• The tower museum - displays on the coastal signalling and defence system.

When to go

Year round; opening is limited and depends on volunteers, mostly at weekends. Mornings are the usual slot. Winter hours are shorter.

Things to know

Opening is restricted and the tower is often closed. The interior is small and the visit brief. It stands amid modern development on a busy road.

Nearby

St Paul's Bay surrounds it, and Salina is southeast.

Key facts