Here’s a full historical overview of Ta’ Lippija Tower, one of Malta’s lesser-known but important watchtowers:
Ta’ Lippija Tower – Overview
Type: Small coastal watchtower.
Built by: Grand Master Giovanni Paolo Lascaris of the Order of St John.
Date: 1637.
Location: On the ridge above Golden Bay (Ir-Ramla tal-Mixquqa), limits of Mġarr, overlooking Għajn Tuffieħa Bay and the north-western coast of Malta.
Part of: The Lascaris Towers (seven small coastal watchtowers built 1637–1638).
Purpose & Role
Built as part of the coastal defense system against Ottoman and Barbary corsair raids.
Its function was surveillance and communication:
Visual contact with Ghajn Tuffieħa Tower (1637) to the south.
In line of sight with Nadur Tower inland.
Formed part of the chain linking to other watchtowers around Malta.
If enemy vessels were sighted, smoke (by day) or fire (by night) signals would be sent along the chain of towers.
Architecture
Design: Very similar to other Lascaris towers.
Layout:
Square plan, about 6 m wide.
Built of local globigerina limestone.
Two level:
Ground floor used for storage.
Upper floor served as the guardroom.
Originally entered via a wooden ladder to the first floor (for security).
Roof: Flat, with a parapet and space for a small cannon or signaling fire.
Garrison: Typically 4 men under a capo torriero (tower captain).
Supply link: The tower was not self-sufficient and relied on locals for provisions.
Later History
By the late 18th century, Ta’ Lippija was in a poor state of repair, and no longer militarily useful.
British period (1800–20th c.): The tower was abandoned. Unlike some other towers, it was not modernised by the British military.
20th century:Fell into near-ruin, reduced to roofless shell.
Restoration efforts: In the early 2000s, Din l-Art Ħelwa (the National Trust of Malta) restored Ta’ Lippija Tower.
Roof reconstructed.
Walls consolidated.
Now in stable condition, though not normally open to the public.
Location
Situated on high ground above Golden Bay (near Radisson Golden Sands Hotel).
Coordinates (approx.): 35.922400, 14.346155.
Overlooks both Golden Bay and Għajn Tuffieħa Bay, giving it a strategic vantage point.
Summary
The Ta’ Lippija Tower (1637) is a small coastal watchtower built by Grand Master Lascaris as part of Malta’s defensive chain. Though modest in size, it was a crucial link in the 17th-century early warning system, guarding the bays most vulnerable to corsair attack. Restored in the 2000s, it now survives as a historical monument overlooking Malta’s most popular beaches.