Fort Manoel

Nice place for visit, however you are not allowed to enter inside this historical landmark, it’s closed. There were filmed many scenes for films inside. Also you are not allowed to drive till Fort Manoel, no cars allowed after some point at island entrance.

I was just passing by walking the dog and was lucky to find the fort having an open day. Normally it is closed and especially from the back it looks run down. From the inside you can see this enormous square with a lot of buildings around it, officer houses, a chapel and munition warehouse with a suberb sight over the bay between Valetta and Sliema. They are renovating it and on this open day they had people dressed up in 16th century clothing. Really interesting

Went there yesterday, closed because they're setting up to film Gladiator 2 inside the fort so you couldn't get access, you can still walk around the island. Nice views around and plenty of areas to sit down.

Date of Visit: 22 Nov 2024 AM. Fort entrance blocked by fences and security booth at entrance to fort is dishevelled and unused/unmanned. Only option is to walk to the Sliema side of the island for the views of Sliema and Valetta, which are really good.

I was disappointed about the abandon of this place. The view is marvellous but the whole place is not suitable for walks and visiting. At each step there are signs of "collapse danger" and there is no sign of rehabilitation of the place. It's a pity because it lost it's beauty.

Fort Manoel, located on Manoel Island in Gżira, Malta, is an 18th-century star fort built by the Knights of St. John under Grand Master António Manoel de Vilhena. It's renowned for its stunning baroque military architecture and strategic position overlooking Marsamxett Harbour and the capital city, Valletta. The fort was constructed in the 1720s and has served various military functions through history, including during the French invasion of Malta in 1798 and under British rule where it was involved in World War II. After a period of neglect, extensive restoration began in 2001, revitalizing the fort and allowing it to host public events and tours. The restoration efforts highlighted its rich historical narrative and architectural grandeur, preserving it as a key piece of Malta’s cultural heritage.

Manoel island - and though definitely the fort - was always a "secret island" for locals. Today was the 2nd opportunity ever to go there for the public. And my first time. It is such a great place of character, it should be always open and always public! You can experience and it's documented how much efforts and money was put in there to restore historical beauty of architecture - for a military purpose that time. So, EU money was spent very well - but ONLY if this is going to be accessible public, 24/7.. I remember a posting, mentioning a "Central Park " for Malta. This would be great!

Unfortunatelly it's closed and you can only see few parts of it. Other than that the saved architecture looks nice but not worth walking to it.