World War II was a trying time for the entire globe, but Malta really went through some insane stuff. It’s known that the islands were bombed every day for two years straight, repercussions of which left irreversible damage on some of the islands’ prominent buildings and areas. These photos shared to the Facebook group Nostalgia Malta show heart-breaking shots of the islands in a devastating state.

Senglea

Senglea (Isla) was one of the heavily bombed areas, destroying a lot of buildings, including homes. This shot shows the main street, Strada Reale, in complete shambles.

Royal Opera House

The Royal Opera House had quite an unlucky lifespan. It was built in 1866 but a fire in 1873 caused extensive damage to its interior. Fast forward to WWII, the theatre received a direct hit during a 1942 air raid. The remains were then converted in recent years to an open-air theatre.

Airborne

This photo shows what seems to be one of the many air raids that Malta experienced.

In action

Military personnel can be seen here operating what looks like a wartime machine gun.

Splash!

While many bombs were dropped in cities and built-up areas, others also fell in the surrounding sea. This was one of those instances - and it looks like the victim was a boat!

Emanuel Caruana via Nostalgia Malta