299:
68:
80:
927:
416:
336:
The tower is a large, square building with four corner turrets, and is located about 80 metres above sea level. The tower itself is about 12 metres tall, with walls that are approximately 6 metres thick, and is raised on a platform and plinth that are approximately 8 metres high. A musketry gallery
321:
Funds for its construction were raised primarily by means of the sale of Comino brushwood, and the total cost was 18,628 scudi, 5 tari and 10 grani, which made it the most expensive of all the
Wignacourt towers. However, the high costs were probably due to the difficulties for transportation and
379:
The tower was abandoned by the
British military in 1829. For several decades it was deemed to be property of the local civil authorities, and may have been used as an isolation hospital, or even as a wintering pen for farm animals. The tower again saw active service during both
692:
The
Appeals of the Nobility and People of Malta to the Justice, Public Faith, and Policy of the British Government, for the Fulfillment of the Conditions Upon which They Gave Up Their Island to the King, Namely Their Ancient Rights Under a Free
337:
was built on the plinth, but this no longer exists. Overall, the tower is higher than any of the other
Wignacourt towers. The tower was surrounded by a ditch and glacis, the remains of which can still be seen today. A chapel dedicated to
359:
In the 17th century, Comino served as a place of imprisonment or exile for errant knights. Knights who were convicted of minor crimes were occasionally sentenced to the lonely and dangerous task of manning St. Mary's Tower. During the
1310:
344:
During times of crisis, its garrison numbered up to 60 soldiers. By 1791, its armament included two 12-pound iron cannon, one 10-pound bronze cannon, one 4-pound bronze cannon, and two 3-pound bronze cannon. After 1715,
318:
were often attacked by
Barbary corsairs based on the cliffs and creeks of Comino. It also served as a communications link between the island of Gozo and mainland Malta in case of an attack on Gozo.
364:, St. Mary's Tower served as a prison by the Maltese insurgents and their British allies for suspected spies or French sympathizers. In 1799, the insurgents transferred the tower's cannons to
353:
were also built around the coast of Comino, and these had a garrison of 130 men and housed eight 32-pounder and ten 24-pounder cannons, which dominated the North and South Comino
Channels.
430:
in 2002 and was restored between 2002 and 2004. It is now in good condition, retaining most of its original features, with the exception of the musketry gallery. It is open to the public.
843:
816:
1305:
625:
298:
836:
95:
712:"Protection of Antiquities Regulations 21st November, 1932 Government Notice 402 of 1932, as Amended by Government Notices 127 of 1935 and 338 of 1939"
356:
Later on, the Order also built a barrack block on Comino, a short distance away from the tower. The barracks were later used as an isolation hospital.
716:
829:
654:
573:
531:
1290:
1223:
445:
1315:
1300:
772:
556:
131:
736:
361:
912:
20:
519:
711:
636:
1320:
1053:
948:
373:
326:
1062:
1034:
1010:
982:
977:
953:
475:
470:
365:
350:
346:
532:
https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/bitstream/handle/123456789/27148/GPSN%2047.PDF?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
1167:
1182:
392:
268:
1024:
665:
1237:
867:
200:
149:
893:
690:
1153:
440:
427:
272:
159:
788:
368:
to bombard French positions. Insurgent positions armed with cannons taken from Comino included
1044:
875:
768:
552:
420:
369:
287:
264:
46:
762:
1213:
1177:
1133:
1128:
1085:
1019:
898:
883:
244:
232:
600:
1295:
1119:
1110:
1002:
935:
888:
404:
400:
330:
67:
1076:
548:
1256:
1247:
1203:
1067:
1039:
1029:
311:
279:
79:
1284:
1218:
1090:
943:
1228:
1198:
1158:
992:
987:
972:
926:
450:
385:
338:
333:, but this is unlikely since Cassar had died even before work on the tower began.
821:
1208:
967:
962:
853:
495:
381:
415:
278:
The tower is a prominent landmark of Comino, and can be clearly seen from both
1242:
1172:
396:
252:
134:
110:
97:
457:
220:
721:
1101:
19:
This article is about the tower on Comino. For the one in Xgħajra, see
578:
Arx - International
Journal of Military Architecture and Fortification
697:
307:
256:
54:
1311:
National
Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands
857:
817:
National
Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands
414:
297:
260:
58:
520:
The historical guide to the island of Malta and its dependencies
315:
283:
825:
662:
Arx - Online
Journal of Military Architecture and Fortification
306:
Saint Mary's Tower was built in 1618 to defend the island of
395:. It served as a lookout and staging post to guard against
388:. The tower was included on the Antiquities List of 1925.
626:"History of Nursing in Malta Care of the Aged and Infirm"
655:"Maltese 'siege' batteries of the blockade 1798-1800"
574:"In Defence of the Coast (I) - The Bastioned Towers"
456:
The tower was depicted on a postage stamp issued by
1191:
1146:
1099:
1001:
934:
874:
216:
206:
196:
188:
183:
175:
165:
155:
145:
140:
126:
89:
30:
391:Between 1982 and 2002, the tower was used by the
551:: Pubblikazzjonijiet Indipendenza. p. 534.
302:Comino Barracks, located just north of the tower
837:
8:
545:Dictionary of Maltese Biographies Vol. 1 A-F
761:Borg, Jean Pierre; Cauchi, Charlie (2015).
325:The tower's architect is unknown. In 1647,
844:
830:
822:
271:until 2002, and it is now in the hands of
27:
263:. It was built in 1618, the fifth of six
717:Malta Environment and Planning Authority
487:
439:St Mary's Tower represented the prison
16:Tower on the island of Comino in Malta
1306:Military installations closed in 2002
7:
341:is also located within the tower.
14:
322:construction on a barren island.
925:
653:Spiteri, Stephen C. (May 2008).
329:claimed that it was designed by
78:
66:
426:St. Mary's Tower was handed to
310:since ships travelling between
913:Santa Maria delle Grazie Tower
543:Schiavone, Michael J. (2009).
21:Santa Maria delle Grazie Tower
1:
700:: R. Lloyd. 1811. p. 32.
419:The tower as viewed from the
1291:1618 establishments in Malta
1273:Builder unknown or uncertain
737:"Sta. Maria Tower on Comino"
572:Spiteri, Stephen C. (2013).
362:French blockade of 1798–1800
267:. The tower was used by the
764:World Film Locations: Malta
1337:
18:
1265:
923:
864:
446:The Count of Monte Cristo
288:ferry between the islands
77:
65:
52:
44:
35:
1316:Towers completed in 1618
1301:Defunct prisons in Malta
1147:Other Hospitaller towers
327:Giovanni Francesco Abela
251:), is a large bastioned
664:(6): 23. Archived from
111:36.006889°N 14.329778°E
84:Map of St. Mary's Tower
789:"Castles & Towers"
423:
303:
286:, as well as from the
248:
237:Torri ta' Santa Marija
236:
38:Torri ta' Santa Marija
1183:Torre dello Standardo
1063:Triq il-Wiesgħa Tower
741:Military Architecture
500:United Comino Ferries
418:
393:Armed Forces of Malta
301:
269:Armed Forces of Malta
239:), also known as the
1271:Demolished/destroyed
1054:Xrobb l-Għaġin Tower
949:Għajn Tuffieħa Tower
866:Associated with the
735:Spiteri, Stephen C.
476:Saint Mary's Redoubt
471:Saint Mary's Battery
374:Ta' Għemmuna Battery
351:Saint Mary's Redoubt
347:Saint Mary's Battery
116:36.006889; 14.329778
1238:Santa Cecilia Tower
1168:Mġarr ix-Xini Tower
868:Order of Saint John
671:on 26 November 2016
633:Ministry for Health
201:Order of Saint John
150:Government of Malta
107: /
1035:St. Julian's Tower
983:St. Agatha's Tower
978:St. George's Tower
496:"St. Mary's Tower"
434:In popular culture
424:
366:blockade batteries
304:
229:Saint Mary's Tower
156:Controlled by
72:Saint Mary's Tower
31:Saint Mary's Tower
1321:Wignacourt towers
1278:
1277:
1011:Għajn Ħadid Tower
954:Blat Mogħża Tower
876:Wignacourt towers
724:on 19 April 2016.
443:in the 2002 film
370:Tas-Samra Battery
265:Wignacourt towers
255:on the island of
249:Torri ta' Kemmuna
226:
225:
47:Wignacourt towers
1328:
1270:
1253:
1234:
1224:St. Paul's Tower
1214:Birkirkara Tower
1178:Tal-Wejter Tower
1164:
1139:
1134:Marsalforn Tower
1125:
1116:
1082:
1073:
1059:
1050:
1025:St. Mark's Tower
1016:
959:
929:
918:
908:St. Mary's Tower
904:
899:Marsalforn Tower
894:St. Thomas Tower
889:St. Lucian Tower
884:Wignacourt Tower
846:
839:
832:
823:
804:
803:
801:
799:
785:
779:
778:
758:
752:
751:
749:
747:
732:
726:
725:
720:. Archived from
708:
702:
701:
687:
681:
680:
678:
676:
670:
659:
650:
644:
643:
641:
635:. Archived from
630:
622:
616:
615:
613:
611:
605:malta-canada.com
596:
590:
589:
587:
585:
569:
563:
562:
540:
534:
529:
523:
517:
511:
510:
508:
506:
492:
141:Site information
122:
121:
119:
118:
117:
112:
108:
105:
104:
103:
100:
82:
70:
61:
28:
1336:
1335:
1331:
1330:
1329:
1327:
1326:
1325:
1281:
1280:
1279:
1274:
1272:
1267:
1261:
1250:
1231:
1192:Privately built
1187:
1161:
1154:Captain's Tower
1142:
1136:
1122:
1120:Spinola Redoubt
1113:
1111:Fresnoy Redoubt
1095:
1079:
1070:
1056:
1047:
1013:
1003:De Redin towers
997:
956:
936:Lascaris towers
930:
921:
915:
901:
870:
860:
850:
813:
808:
807:
797:
795:
787:
786:
782:
775:
760:
759:
755:
745:
743:
734:
733:
729:
710:
709:
705:
689:
688:
684:
674:
672:
668:
657:
652:
651:
647:
642:on 3 July 2009.
639:
628:
624:
623:
619:
609:
607:
598:
597:
593:
583:
581:
571:
570:
566:
559:
542:
541:
537:
530:
526:
518:
514:
504:
502:
494:
493:
489:
484:
467:
436:
428:Din l-Art Ħelwa
413:
405:migratory birds
401:illegal hunting
331:Vittorio Cassar
296:
273:Din l-Art Ħelwa
211:
168:the public
167:
160:Din l-Art Ħelwa
115:
113:
109:
106:
101:
98:
96:
94:
93:
85:
73:
53:
40:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1334:
1332:
1324:
1323:
1318:
1313:
1308:
1303:
1298:
1293:
1283:
1282:
1276:
1275:
1266:
1263:
1262:
1260:
1259:
1257:Vincenti Tower
1254:
1248:Gourgion Tower
1245:
1240:
1235:
1226:
1221:
1216:
1211:
1206:
1204:Cavalier Tower
1201:
1195:
1193:
1189:
1188:
1186:
1185:
1180:
1175:
1170:
1165:
1156:
1150:
1148:
1144:
1143:
1141:
1140:
1131:
1126:
1117:
1107:
1105:
1097:
1096:
1094:
1093:
1088:
1083:
1074:
1068:Delimara Tower
1065:
1060:
1051:
1045:Bengħisa Tower
1042:
1037:
1032:
1030:Madliena Tower
1027:
1022:
1017:
1007:
1005:
999:
998:
996:
995:
990:
985:
980:
975:
970:
965:
960:
951:
946:
940:
938:
932:
931:
924:
922:
920:
919:
910:
905:
896:
891:
886:
880:
878:
872:
871:
865:
862:
861:
851:
849:
848:
841:
834:
826:
820:
819:
812:
811:External links
809:
806:
805:
780:
773:
753:
727:
703:
682:
645:
617:
599:Scerri, John.
591:
564:
557:
535:
524:
512:
486:
485:
483:
480:
479:
478:
473:
466:
463:
462:
461:
454:
435:
432:
412:
409:
295:
292:
224:
223:
218:
214:
213:
208:
204:
203:
198:
194:
193:
190:
186:
185:
181:
180:
177:
173:
172:
169:
163:
162:
157:
153:
152:
147:
143:
142:
138:
137:
128:
124:
123:
91:
87:
86:
83:
75:
74:
71:
63:
62:
50:
49:
42:
41:
36:
33:
32:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1333:
1322:
1319:
1317:
1314:
1312:
1309:
1307:
1304:
1302:
1299:
1297:
1294:
1292:
1289:
1288:
1286:
1269:
1264:
1258:
1255:
1252:
1249:
1246:
1244:
1241:
1239:
1236:
1233:
1230:
1227:
1225:
1222:
1220:
1219:Bubaqra Tower
1217:
1215:
1212:
1210:
1207:
1205:
1202:
1200:
1197:
1196:
1194:
1190:
1184:
1181:
1179:
1176:
1174:
1171:
1169:
1166:
1163:
1160:
1157:
1155:
1152:
1151:
1149:
1145:
1138:
1135:
1132:
1130:
1129:Vendôme Tower
1127:
1124:
1121:
1118:
1115:
1112:
1109:
1108:
1106:
1104:
1103:
1098:
1092:
1091:Wardija Tower
1089:
1087:
1086:Ħamrija Tower
1084:
1081:
1078:
1075:
1072:
1069:
1066:
1064:
1061:
1058:
1055:
1052:
1049:
1046:
1043:
1041:
1038:
1036:
1033:
1031:
1028:
1026:
1023:
1021:
1020:Għallis Tower
1018:
1015:
1012:
1009:
1008:
1006:
1004:
1000:
994:
991:
989:
986:
984:
981:
979:
976:
974:
971:
969:
966:
964:
961:
958:
955:
952:
950:
947:
945:
944:Lippija Tower
942:
941:
939:
937:
933:
928:
917:
914:
911:
909:
906:
903:
900:
897:
895:
892:
890:
887:
885:
882:
881:
879:
877:
873:
869:
863:
859:
855:
847:
842:
840:
835:
833:
828:
827:
824:
818:
815:
814:
810:
794:
790:
784:
781:
776:
774:9781783204984
770:
766:
765:
757:
754:
742:
738:
731:
728:
723:
719:
718:
713:
707:
704:
699:
695:
694:
686:
683:
667:
663:
656:
649:
646:
638:
634:
627:
621:
618:
606:
602:
595:
592:
579:
575:
568:
565:
560:
558:9789993291329
554:
550:
546:
539:
536:
533:
528:
525:
521:
516:
513:
501:
497:
491:
488:
481:
477:
474:
472:
469:
468:
464:
459:
455:
452:
448:
447:
442:
438:
437:
433:
431:
429:
422:
417:
410:
408:
406:
402:
398:
394:
389:
387:
383:
377:
375:
371:
367:
363:
357:
354:
352:
348:
342:
340:
334:
332:
328:
323:
319:
317:
313:
309:
300:
293:
291:
289:
285:
281:
276:
274:
270:
266:
262:
258:
254:
250:
246:
242:
238:
234:
230:
222:
219:
215:
209:
205:
202:
199:
197:Built by
195:
191:
187:
182:
178:
174:
170:
164:
161:
158:
154:
151:
148:
144:
139:
136:
133:
129:
125:
120:
92:
88:
81:
76:
69:
64:
60:
56:
51:
48:
43:
39:
34:
29:
26:
22:
1268:
1251:
1232:
1229:Ingraw Tower
1199:Xlejli Tower
1162:
1159:Garzes Tower
1137:
1123:
1114:
1102:Tour–Reduits
1100:
1080:
1077:Żonqor Tower
1071:
1057:
1048:
1014:
993:Dwejra Tower
988:Xlendi Tower
973:Sciuta Tower
957:
916:
907:
902:
854:watch towers
796:. Retrieved
792:
783:
763:
756:
744:. Retrieved
740:
730:
722:the original
715:
706:
693:Constitution
691:
685:
673:. Retrieved
666:the original
661:
648:
637:the original
632:
620:
608:. Retrieved
604:
594:
582:. Retrieved
577:
567:
544:
538:
527:
515:
503:. Retrieved
499:
490:
451:Jim Caviezel
444:
441:Château d'If
425:
390:
386:World War II
378:
358:
355:
343:
339:Saint Joseph
335:
324:
320:
305:
277:
241:Comino Tower
240:
228:
227:
184:Site history
166:Open to
102:14°19′47.2″E
99:36°00′24.8″N
45:Part of the
37:
25:
1209:Gauci Tower
1040:Aħrax Tower
968:Qawra Tower
963:Nadur Tower
411:Present day
382:World War I
207:In use
114: /
90:Coordinates
1285:Categories
1243:Mamo Tower
1173:Sopu Tower
580:(3): 50–57
482:References
421:Gozo ferry
397:contraband
253:watchtower
135:watchtower
130:Bastioned
852:Historic
793:MaltaPost
746:31 August
601:"Kemmuna"
458:MaltaPost
449:starring
221:Limestone
217:Materials
212:1982–2002
210:1618–1829
176:Condition
798:22 April
522:. p. 80.
505:19 April
465:See also
460:in 2006.
407:at sea.
399:and the
294:History
245:Maltese
233:Maltese
132:coastal
1296:Comino
771:
698:London
555:
308:Comino
257:Comino
179:Intact
55:Comino
858:Malta
675:9 May
669:(PDF)
658:(PDF)
640:(PDF)
629:(PDF)
610:9 May
584:9 May
549:Pietà
312:Malta
280:Malta
261:Malta
189:Built
146:Owner
59:Malta
800:2015
769:ISBN
748:2014
677:2015
612:2015
586:2015
553:ISBN
507:2015
384:and
372:and
349:and
316:Gozo
314:and
284:Gozo
282:and
192:1618
127:Type
856:of
403:of
259:in
171:Yes
1287::
791:.
767:.
739:.
714:.
696:.
660:.
631:.
603:.
576:.
547:.
498:.
376:.
290:.
275:.
247::
235::
57:,
845:e
838:t
831:v
802:.
777:.
750:.
679:.
614:.
588:.
561:.
509:.
453:.
243:(
231:(
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
