Historic Buildings

About Torri l-Ahmar (Red Tower)

Perched over Mellieha's golden beaches, St Agatha's Tower, also known as the Red Tower, was built in 1647 by the Order of St John to strengthen northern coastal defences during the reign of Grand Master Lascaris de Castellar.  A marble plaque over its entrance shows it was dedicated to St Agatha, a christian martyr who was venerated as a symbol of strength against invasion and the plague in both Sicily and Malta

From its roof it commands marvellous views over Mellieha Bay and over the Straits of Comino all the way to Gozo. When fully manned it could garrison 49 men and held enough water to withstand a siege of 40 days.  It boasted five cannons on its roof.  During the British period, the Red Tower was used as a defence post and then as a radar station by the Armed Forces of Malta.  There are various items of interest in the tower and a small chapel to St. Agatha.  A bracing walk on Mellieha Ridge through a heritage and nature trail in the protected green area, Foresta 2000, will reveal several hidden features, natural habitats and wild flowers which change with the seasons.

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