Fort Rinella

Fort Rinella is a Victorian coastal battery on Malta, built between 1879 and 1884 by British colonial forces to guard the northeastern entrance to the Grand Harbour. Its centerpiece is one of only two surviving Armstrong 100-ton guns in the world — a 19th-century behemoth designed to pierce ironclad warships and considered among the most powerful artillery pieces of its era. Operated by the heritage foundation Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna, the fort opens Thursday through Saturday for guided tours that take visitors through the casemate tunnels, gun emplacement, and historic storage vaults. Reviews consistently single out the guides — knowledgeable, engaging, and genuinely passionate — as what elevates the visit beyond a standard military museum.