Set the scene.
A tower built by the Knights in 1620 once stood at Xgħajra. It was known as Santa Maria delle Grazie, or Tal-Grazzja.
Here’s the twist.
The British demolished it in 1888. Their larger battery belonged to a different stage of coastal defence, and workers settling nearby helped form the village.
Why it still matters.
Compare a tower with a battery: both defended the coast, but required different spaces. Military modernisation could remove older fortifications rather than simply adding new ones alongside.
🧠 One to think about +
What does this story change about the way you see Malta today? Pick one detail you’d tell a friend — then check its source below.