Saluting Battery

Saluting Battery Time-gun firing at 12.00hrs and 16.00hrs, guided tours and an artillery museum. Open Mon to Sat.

The Saluting Battery is one of Malta's most vibrant visitor attractions where history is brought to life daily! Located high along Valletta's eastern historic ramparts it enjoys unrivaled spectacular views of the Grand Harbour and its surrounding fortified towns. It is also perhaps the oldest saluting battery still in operation anywhere in the world. For almost 500 years, its guns protected the ha

rbour against naval assault. Its prominent position also ensured it becoming the island's principal saluting platform. From here, gun salutes were fired on occasions of state, to mark anniversaries and religious feasts and also to greet visiting dignitaries and vessels. From the 1820's a gun was also fired at mid-day to signal out the exact hour of the day by which Ship Masters would calibrate their chronographs on board. These time pieces were used up to the early part of the 20th century to find the longitude at sea. These signals, along with the one at mid-day served largely to regulate the pace of life in the city and its surroundings. Following a lull of almost half-a century, this battery is back in use following an extensive restoration process by Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna - the Malta Heritage Trust in conjunction with the Malta Tourism Authority. Once again, its guns resonate daily in the same way of old to herald the passage of mid-day and to add to the festive mood that marks important anniversaries in the history of the island.

VACANCY - Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna is looking to employ on full or part-time basis a number of gunners to fire the guns at...
07/04/2026

VACANCY - Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna is looking to employ on full or part-time basis a number of gunners to fire the guns at the Saluting Battery in Valletta during public displays. Employment hours are from 9.30am till 4.30pm. Interested parties are to send their CV by email only: to [email protected]. A valid working permit is necessary.

11/03/2026
29/01/2026

On Tuesday 10 February 2026 at 12.00hrs, a full-gun salute will be fired from the guns of the Saluting Battery in Valletta to mark St. Paul's Day. This annual event will evoke the centuries-old tradition when key religious festivals were marked with artillery fire from the fortresses. This tradition pre-dates the Order of St. John, was interrupted by the Republican French and was resumed by the British until the outbreak of the Second World War. By the mid-19th century artillery salutes were increasingly replaced by petard firing espescially in the case of minor religious festivals. Originally, there were over 100 such occasions on which artillery salutes were requested by the Church but after 1824 these were reduced to 24 to be increased slightly later. Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna has restored this tradition in the early 2000's and as since fired two full-gun salutes on the occasion of St. Paul's Day (10 Feb) and Victory Day (Marija Bambina - 8 Sep). This public event is kindly supported by the Malta Tourism Authority and the Bank of Valletta.

20/01/2026

Due to adverse weather conditions, the Saluting Battery, Malta Time-Gun Museum, Lascaris War Rooms, War H.Q., and St Peter’s Galleries will remain closed today.

Explore the many roles of the Saluting Battery by visiting the Malta Time-Gun Museum, located just outside the Upper Bar...
03/12/2025

Explore the many roles of the Saluting Battery by visiting the Malta Time-Gun Museum, located just outside the Upper Barrakka Garden. Explore the centuries-long history of the Battery, view a vast selection of historic artillery tools and uniforms, and size up with field guns, naval cannon and their projectiles, topped off with the time-gun firing at the Saluting Battery, all for EUR 6.00!

Visit any of Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna's heritage sites to book your tickets, or visit us on www.wirtartna.org

27/11/2025

Cettina Grech a long-serving staff member in the ticketing department was presented with a retirement gift on her last day of service with Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna in gratitude of her many years of loyal and efficient service. We wish Cettina Grech the very best on her retirement.

📚Find us at the Malta Book Festival📚
05/11/2025

📚Find us at the Malta Book Festival📚

Yesterday, the Saluting Battery hosted the Fron Male Choir for a live concert, featuring some well-loved Welsh classics,...
30/10/2025

Yesterday, the Saluting Battery hosted the Fron Male Choir for a live concert, featuring some well-loved Welsh classics, finishing off with the Welsh national anthem. Right after the concert, both the choir members and the public joined one of the Battery gunners to learn more about the historic functions of the site, topped off by the firing of the noon-day time gun.

For similar collaborations, or to learn more about Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna's various projects and activities, please follow our social media or contact [email protected].

Address

Battery Street
Valletta
VLT1221

Telephone

+35621225277

Website

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