Stqarrija bil-Malti Agħfas Hawn / Press Release in Maltese Click Here
On the 8th of September, Victory Day, Heritage Malta will open the doors of the majestic Fort St Angelo to the public at a reduced admission price of €3. This event will include access to the upper parts of the fort which are administered by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
Victory Day commemorates two high points in Maltese history – the victorious end of the Great Siege on 8th September 1565, when the Ottoman forces gave up their attempts to take over the Islands after three months of relentless fighting and heavy losses, and the date when the surrender of Fascist Italy was made public in 1943, giving Malta a breather in the Second World War. By sheer coincidence, the birth of the Virgin Mary is also celebrated on this day.
In remembrance of these events, Heritage Malta has prepared a programme of activities at Fort St Angelo. Two masses will be held – one at 10:00 in the Chapel of the Nativity of the Virgin and another one at 12:00 in the Chapel of St Anne. Following the first mass, at 11:00, there will be a commemoration at the Victory of the Great Siege monument, with the participation of the National Festivities Committee. This will be followed by a Sea Cadets demonstration at Upper St Angelo.
The afternoon will be enlivened with several displays and historical re-enactments. These will be provided by Show of Arms, Compagnia San Michele, the Historical Re-enactment Group of Malta, the Malta Historical Fencing Association, Battlefront Living History Group, Malta Command WW2 Living History Group, and Battlefields Living History Re-enactment Troops.
Fort St Angelo will be open from 9:00 till 18:00, with last admissions at 17:30, allowing the public to also enjoy advantageous views of this year’s Regatta contest, alongside a bar selling refreshing drinks and snacks.
Tickets may only be purchased at the door. Children up to 11 years of age as well as Heritage Malta members enter free of charge. Heritage Malta members will be asked to present their membership card.
For further information visit the What’s On page on Heritage Malta’s website www.heritagemalta.org and the agency’s social media pages.
