The Harbour Fire Command complex at Fort St Elmo open to the public

The rooms forming the Harbour Fire Command complex at the very top of Fort St Elmo are now open to the public, enriching the visitor experience at this impressive star-shaped fort constructed in 1552.

As World War II loomed during the second half of the 1930s, the strategic location of Fort St Elmo between the Grand Harbour and Marsamxett Harbour was chosen to establish a Harbour Fire Command, from where all the artillery within the forts along the north-eastern coast defending the two harbours could be coordinated during the war.

The complex which had to shoulder this role was built in 1938 and included several rooms, each with a specific function. Although built high on top of the fort’s cavalier in order to cover the largest area possible, all efforts were made to hide it from view. The structure was constructed out of reinforced concrete and comprised a Chart Room, a Telephone Room, a Fortress Observation Post, a Fire Command Post, and an Officer Commanding Electric Lights Room.

The Harbour Fire Command remained in use until 1956, when coastal defence was abolished. Between 1949 and 1951, Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) would visit the complex to wave to her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, while he was serving on Royal Naval ships based in Malta.

Besides the Harbour Fire Command, a visit to Fort St Elmo is now also enhanced by an immersive experience at ground floor level, where visitors are transported back in time through 3D projections on the walls that recount the history of Fort St Elmo’s cavalier.