Fort Pembroke

Polygonal fort in Malta

Fort Pembroke

Il-Fortizza ta' Pembroke

Part of the Victoria Lines
Pembroke, Malta

Entrance to Fort Pembroke

Coordinates| 35°55′37.0″N 14°28′51.8″E﻿ / ﻿35.926944°N 14.481056°E﻿ / 35.926944; 14.481056
Type| Polygonal fort
Site information
Owner| Government of Malta
Controlled by| Verdala International School
Condition| Intact
Site history
Built| 1875–1878
Built by| British Empire
In use| 1878–1978
Materials| Limestone and concrete

Fort Pembroke (Maltese: Il-Fortizza ta' Pembroke) is a polygonal fort in Pembroke, Malta. It was built between 1875 and 1878 by the British to defend part of the Victoria Lines. The fort now houses the Verdala International School.[1]

## History

[edit]

Fort Pembroke was built by the British to defend the Grand Harbour as well as part of the Victoria Lines. The building of the fort was proposed in a defence committee recommendation in 1873, and construction started on 24 January 1875 and was finished in December 1878.[2] The fort has an elongated hexagonal shape, surrounded by a ditch and glacis. It contained underground magazines and casemated garrison quarters. It was armed with three RML 11 inch 25 ton guns and one 64-pounder gun, which were mounted en barbette.

Fort Pembroke ditch

By the mid-1890s, the fort's armament became obsolete, and instead of upgrading, the nearby Pembroke Battery was built.[3] The fort became an ammunition depot and storage area for small arms ammunition. Its gate was widened and a fixed metal bridge replaced the original rolling bridge.

In World War II, the fort was used as a prisoner-of-war camp, housing German prisoners.[4]

The British military establishments in Pembroke were closed in 1978 and the fort remained unused for nine years until 1987.

## Present day

[edit]

Verdala International School moved to the fort from Fort Verdala in 1987.[5] Since then, the school has grown from 110 students to over 500 in 2024.[6] Due to this increase, the school has expanded to include some barrack blocks close to the fort. The campus is leased by the government to the school until 2072.[7]

The fort was scheduled by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) as a Grade 1 national monument in 1996. The protection status was revised to include the surviving glacis of the fort in 2009.[8]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "The two extremities of the Victoria Lines". Times of Malta. 20 April 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
2. ^ "Places of interest". www.pembroke.gov.mt. Archived from the original on 1 February 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
3. ^ Darmanin, Denis (15 September 2013). "Pembroke: from war symbol to spacious modern town". Times of Malta. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
4. ^ "Fort Pembroke". festungsbauten.de. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
5. ^ Debattista, R. "The Verdala Story". St Margaret College, Secondary School, Verdala. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
6. ^ "About us, history". verdala.org. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
7. ^ "Facilities". www.verdala.org. Archived from the original on 21 March 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
8. ^ "Protecting the most significant buildings, monuments and features of Pembroke (6) - Fort Pembroke and its armaments". Times of Malta. 4 February 2010. Retrieved 28 February 2015.

* v
* t
* e

Forts in Malta

16th century|

* Fort St. Angelo
* Fort St. Elmo
* Fort St. Michael

17th century|

* Fort Ricasoli

18th century|

* Fort Chambray
* Fort Manoel
* Fort Rohan
* Fort San Salvatore
* Fort Tigné

19th century|

* Fort Binġemma
* Fort Delimara
* Fort Leonardo
* Fort Madalena
* Fort Mosta
* Fort Pembroke
* Fort San Lucian
* Fort St. Rocco
* Fort Tas-Silġ
* Fort Verdala

20th century|

* Fort Benghisa
* Fort Campbell
* Fort Mellieħa

* Built by:  Order of St. John of Jerusalem
* British Empire

* v
* t
* e

International schools in Malta

Malta Island|

* Chiswick House School/St Martin’s College
* Verdala International School

* Schools portal

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template