History of Żonqor Tower in Marsaskala, also known as Torre di Zoncor or Torre del Zoncol, one of the lesser-known coastal towers once guarding the southern approaches of Malta.
⭐ Full History of Żonqor Tower – Marsaskala
Żonqor Tower was a small coastal watchtower built in 1659 by the Order of St. John during the magistracy of Grand Master Martin de Redin. It formed part of the chain of 13 De Redin coastal towers, a defensive network strategically positioned around the Maltese coastline to provide early warning against enemy ships, particularly Ottoman corsairs and Barbary pirates who frequently raided the islands.
🏰 Purpose and Strategic Role
Żonqor Tower was constructed to oversee Marsaskala Bay and the surrounding coastline, which was considered vulnerable to enemy landings. Its role was twofold:
1. Surveillance: monitoring the bay and signalling nearby towers or forts if hostile ships were sighted.
2. Communication: relaying signals using fire, smoke, or flags to adjacent towers such as:
St. Thomas Tower (the major fortification dominating the area)
Xrobb l-Għaġin Tower (since demolished)
Sant’ Lucjan Tower (San Lucjan Tower at Marsaxlokk)
This network allowed warnings to reach the main fortifications and inland settlements quickly.
🧱 Architecture and Design
Żonqor Tower followed the standard De Redin design:
A square plan with two floors
A flat roof with a parapet
A turret on one corner for signalling
A doorway elevated above ground accessed by a ladder
Thick limestone walls designed to resist small-arms fire
It was small, with only a handful of men stationed at any time—usually a corporal and two guards.
🕰️ Decline and Demolition
By the early 19th century, after the British took control of Malta (1800), many of the older coastal towers were deemed obsolete due to changes in naval warfare and artillery technology. Larger batteries and modern entrenchments became the priority.
Żonqor Tower was:
Decommissioned** in the early 1800s
Considered structurally weak by mid-century
Completely demolished around 1915–1916 during the British period to make way for military training grounds and new coastal infrastructure
Unlike other De Redin towers that were preserved (such as Għajn Tuffieħa or Qawra Tower), Żonqor Tower did not survive into the modern era.
📍 Present Remains
Today, no visible remains of Żonqor Tower exist.
Its approximate location is known through old maps and military survey records, placing it near Żonqor Point, on the promontory that forms the northern side of Marsaskala Bay.
The area has been heavily developed and altered over the last century, and the tower’s exact footprint is no longer distinguishable.
⭐ Summary
Żonqor Tower (1659–1910s) was:
A De Redin coastal watchtower
Built to protect Marsaskala Bay
Part of Malta’s 17th-century coastal defence network
Demolished in the early 20th century under British administration
Although it no longer stands, its role in Malta’s defensive coastal history remains part of the wider story of the island’s fortifications.