Culture
Upcoming public holiday! Wignacourt Tower celebrates 415 years on the Feast of St Paul
Ready for a trip back in time?

Francesca Vella

To many, Christmas might already feel like a distant memory – so it’s time to start planning the next public holiday! The Feast of St Paul’s Shipwreck, celebrated on 10th February (and making for a long weekend this year!), marks the Apostle Paul’s shipwreck on Malta in 60 AD. This pivotal event is said to have introduced Christianity to the islands and holds particular historical and cultural significance on the islands.

This holiday has ties with the Wignacourt Tower in St Paul’s Bay, as it coincides with the 415th anniversary of the building’s foundation stone, laid in 1610. The tower overlooks the very place St Paul is thought to have collided with the islands named after him just across the bay, where his statue made in his honour still stands today.

To mark the occasion, Din l-Art Ħelwa will host an Open Day at Wignacourt Tower on Monday 10th February, from 10 AM to 3 PM. Entrance is free, but donations are welcome to support ongoing preservation efforts. Adding to the historical ambiance, the Show of Arms reenactment group will bring Malta’s past to life, while visitors can witness the firing of Malta’s oldest operational cannon, restored in 2019.

Will you be joining the festivities?

23rd January 2025


Francesca Vella
Written by
Francesca Vella
Francesca has always felt most at home in a cinema or theatre, particularly if musicals are involved. She loves to read, write, and share about her experiences of both the fictional and the real world.