Shocking Photos At Ricasoli Spark Online Petition To Safeguard Malta’s Largest Fort
Fort Ricasoli in Kalkara is the island’s largest fortification. More than 300 years after it was built, it is now not only in a state of abandonment, but is also facing the danger of irreparable damage. Some people have not only already clocked this demise, but are willing to spread awareness before it’s too late.
“How long before it will collapse?” read a Facebook post last weekend showing the state of decay that the fort has gone through in recent years. The damage was not only attributed to multiple World War 2 air raids, but also strong Grigalata winds which have over the decades blown strong Northeast waves onto the coast.
As more photos emerged on Facebook – both Google Earth screenshots and comparison shots – people urged authorities to take care of such a vital piece of Maltese heritage, and it all culminated in an online petition.
“We urge the Maltese authorities to safeguard our patrimony, by restoring the fortress and finding alternative purposes for it, so as to keep appreciating it in the coming years,” a petition entitled Save Fort Ricasoli read.
The petition has been around since February, but the recent photos and added pressure by different people on Facebook last week helped it shoot up beyond 2,000 signatures.
“Fort Ricasoli is not only an outstanding monument in its own right, but also an integral part of a larger whole which needs to be safeguarded in its entirety,” one signee said. “It is a crucial component of the fortifications of the Valletta harbours, and of the views, vistas and setting of the World Heritage City of Valletta.”
Another person called the current state of Fort Ricasoli “a national disgrace.”
One Facebook user shared a couple of shocking photos from the fort’s coastline, and what’s even worse is that these were reportedly taken a whole seven years ago.
Soon enough, the inevitable reference to the Azure Window was made, with people saying this might be another textbook case of negligence turning into the loss of cultural heritage.