St Thomas Tower Reopens As Corsair And Piracy Museum After €3.39 Million EU-Funded Restoration
The 17th-century St Thomas Tower in Marsascala has officially reopened its doors and it’s now home to Malta’s first museum dedicated entirely to piracy and corsairs.
The €3.39 million restoration project, co-funded by the EU’s European Regional Development Fund (ERDF 2014–2020) and the Malta Tourism Authority, was inaugurated on Wednesday evening by Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg and Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, in collaboration with Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna.
The St Thomas Tower, erected in 1614, was one of six bastioned Wignacourt watchtowers built by the Knights of St John. Its primary function was to repel enemy incursions and prevent landings at Marsascala Creek and St Thomas Bay. This tower is the largest of the six Wignacourt watchtowers and commands an expansive view of the southern coast, thereby, protecting inland areas like Żejtun.
“This transformation of St Thomas Tower into a high-quality cultural attraction ensures the preservation of this national landmark, while augmenting Marsascala’s role as a growing hub for cultural tourism,” said Borg.
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The Tower’s Corsair and Piracy Museum is the first in Malta devoted only to the intricate history of piracy and corsair activity in the Mediterranean. It offers decades of adventure, revealing stories of fearsome pirates, fearless corsairs, and thrilling naval battles, such as the Maltese Militia’s reoccupation of the Tower in 1798 during the French blockade.
Families, students, and tourists of all ages may enjoy an engaging educational experience at this new museum thanks to its multi-sensory installations, projection mapping, interactive digital displays, and other state-of-the-art technologies.
Borg went on to say that “this investment created another unique year-round experience for visitors and locals alike, supporting local economic development, as well as the continued diversification of our tourism product, as part of our strategy towards long-term sustainability and resilience for this vital industry.”
Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi commended this project as an example of how European funds are being utilised strategically to strengthen cultural identity and regional development. “St Thomas Tower has not only been given a new lease of life but is now offering visitors a unique educational and cultural experience about an intriguing aspect of our country’s maritime history,” the Minister said.
He thanked Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna, the Malta Tourism Authority, as well as the Funds and Programmes Division, for their contribution to this project.
The EU co-funded restoration works included structural consolidation, masonry repair, reinstatement of original architectural features, water ingress protection, and sensitive upgrades to improve accessibility. Two reservoirs within the Tower were restored for rainwater harvesting. The site was also equipped with LED lighting and a smart climate control system, for increased energy efficiency.
The Corsair and Piracy Museum is now open to the public every day from 10am to 4.30pm and includes guided tours, educational programmes and family-friendly activities throughout the year.
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Credit: Pierre Sammut via DOI
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