Malta is home to many coastal watch towers due to its incredibly rich history passing from one empire to another but did you know that the country’s oldest watch tower is found in St Paul’s Bay?

Aptly named St Paul’s Bay tower, the coastal defence post was built in 1610, making it the oldest surviving tower in all of Malta and Gozo.

The tower was the first of many defence posts and towers built by Grand Master Alof Wignacourt during the time of the Order of the Knights of St John here in Malta. In fact it also commonly referred to as the Wignacourt tower.

It was built on the design of Maltese architect Vittorio Cassar and and artillery battery was added over a 100 years later in 1715.

The building itself is now open as a museum which tourists and locals alike can visit.