Din l-Art Ħelwa demands urgent protection for Malta's last medieval

Din l-Art Ħelwa called for urgent action on Wednesday to save the Maħras Ta' Tabibu in St Paul's Bay, which the heritage organisation describes as the last surviving medieval lookout post of its kind in the Maltese Islands. Police cordoned off the structure due to collapse risk, with parts of its roof already caved in.

Maħras were coastal watchtowers built during the 14th or 15th centuries, staffed by sentinels who used bonfires, church bells, and other signals to warn of approaching enemy incursions. The Maħras Ta' Tabibu remained standing after Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt constructed Wignacourt Tower nearby in 1610. It is also known as It-Torri tad-Dejma, named after the Dejma—the Maltese militia responsible for the island's defence.

The name Ta' Tabibu is believed to derive from a former owner who later converted the structure into a farm. The structure is not included in Malta's National Inventory of Cultural Property. " The surrounding area has considerable archaeological and ecological significance.

Din l-Art Ħelwa is calling on the Government, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, and relevant authorities to schedule the structure under the Cultural Heritage Act, include it in the National Inventory, commission an emergency structural assessment, carry out stabilisation works, and establish a comprehensive strategy for preserving the monument and safeguarding its archaeological and cultural context. "Allowing what is believed to be the island's last surviving medieval maħras to collapse through neglect would represent an irreparable loss to the nation's history and a failure of that commitment," Din l-Art Ħelwa said.

"