Santa Cecilia Tower

Santa Cecilia Tower (Maltese: It-Torri ta' Santa Ċeċilja or ta' Santa Ċilja) is a tower in Għajnsielem, Gozo, Malta. It was built in 1613 by a member of the Order of St. John, and it could relay messages across the island. Today, the tower is in good condition and it is a private residence.[1]

Santa Cecilia Tower
It-Torri ta' Santa Ċeċilja
Għajnsielem, Gozo, Malta
View of Santa Cecilia Tower
Coordinates	36°1′44.8″N 14°16′26.2″E
Type	Tower
Site information
Owner	Private
Open to the public	No
Condition	Intact
Site history
Built	1613
Built by	Fra Bernardo Macedonia
Materials	Limestone

History

Santa Cecilia Tower was built in 1613 by Fra Bernardo Macedonia, Commander of Artillery of the Order of St. John.[2][3] It got its name from the nearby Santa Cecilia Chapel, which is the oldest surviving chapel on Gozo.[2] The chapel eventually became an ancillary building to the tower.[4][5]

Santa Cecilia Chapel, which is located close to the tower

The tower was able to communicate with the batteries at Ramla Bay as well as Mġarr ix-Xini Tower, so it could relay messages across Gozo. It was also able to provide refuge for the local population in case of a corsair raid.[6][7]

Today, the tower is a private residence. It was included on the Antiquities List of 1925.[8] The tower is now scheduled as a Grade 1 monument,[4] and it is also listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.[3]

Architecture

Santa Cecilia Tower is a small rectangular structure. It is rather plain, but it has finials and other decorative features.[3]

References

1. Vella, Fiona (14 October 2020). "Walk along Għajnsielem's historical route". Times of Malta. Archived from the original on 14 October 2020.
2. Caruana, Joseph (2011). "Toponomi t'Għajnsielem (1)" (PDF). L-Imnara. Rivista tal-Għaqda Maltija tal-Folklor. 9 (4): 187–189. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 April 2016.
3. "Sta Ċeċilja Tower" (PDF). National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. 28 June 2013. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
4. "Santa Cecilia Medieval Chapel". Wirt Għawdex. Archived from the original on 6 April 2015.
5. "Santa Ċeċilja – Kappella Medjevali f'Għawdex". schoolnet.gov.mt (in Maltese). Archived from the original on 20 June 2016.
6. Graham, Jimmy (17 March 2015). "Le Crac". Archived from the original on 22 November 2015.
7. Bezzina, Joseph. "Il-Kappella ta' Santa Ċeċilja - Għajnsielem Għawdex". kappellimaltin.com (in Maltese). Archived from the original on 15 May 2015.
8. "Protection of Antiquities Regulations 21st November, 1932 Government Notice 402 of 1932, as Amended by Government Notices 127 of 1935 and 338 of 1939". Malta Environment and Planning Authority. Archived from the original on 20 April 2016.