Hamrija Tower
The Hamrija Tower, Torri Ħamrija, is a fort built during the reign of St John in 1658 in Malta. The tower stands on the cliffs on the southwest coast of the island of Malta, near the towns Qrendi and Għar lapsi. In the immediate vicinity are the temple of Mnajdra and Ħaġar Qim. The tower monitors a large part of the south-western coast, the offshore sea area and the island of Filfla.
The tower was built as a twelfth of a series of thirteen towers that were built during the reign of Grand Master Martin de Redin 1657-1660. According to him, these towers are also referred to as de Redin Towers. In comparison to the 1609 to 1614 built Wignacourt Towers, the task of these towers had changed. Built much smaller and weaker armed, they served primarily as an observation post, from which on the approach of an enemy fleet, the garrison should be alerted in Valletta and other places. For this, the towers were arranged together with the Wignancourt Towers and the Lascaris Towers on visible to one another, so that day and night optical signals could be transmitted. The nearest tower in the southeast is the Wardija Tower.
Like all the other de Redin Towers, the Hamrija Tower has a square floor plan. The page length is approximately 8.1 m. The tower had two levels, while the lower floor is in the form of a truncated pyramid. In the basement there was a large, windowless storage room. Access to the tower was on a ladder to the room on the first floor.
During the British colonial rule, these towers were initially still used. Captain Dickens struck before 1813, to reinforce the towers and expand the coastal fortifications of the Order. These plans were not realized. 1828 suggested Captain Jones of the Royal Engineers the demolition of all towers before. He justified his proposal so that the towers fire from modern artillery would not last long, however, an expansion would be too costly. The structural condition of the towers had deteriorated in the past few years, some were in a ruinous state, others required the repair. 1832 decreed Colonel Morshead, Chief Royal Engineer, the demolition of all the towers. Finally, was taken from a demolition distance and pass the existing towers to the local authorities.