Following the recent re-construction of the Breakwater Bridge, the extensive rehabilitation process of the Grand Harbour reaches another important milestone with the re-construction and installation of the two lanterns adorning the entrance of the Port.

The original lanterns, purposely designed and constructed to the unique measurements and requirements of each tower, have long been eroded and have been missing for decades.

Transport Malta, following extensive research to retrieve copies of original plans from the archive drawings located at St. Spirit Archives in Rabat, has re-constructed and erected these lanterns respecting the original design and exact dimensions as originally proposed by the British Engineers.

The installation of the lanterns form part of Transport Malta’s €1.1million refurbishment project, initiated in 2009, of the two main breakwaters situated at the entrance to the Grand Harbour. This project is now practically completed.

The lanterns now placed on top of the refurbished lighthouse towers are green coloured on the St Elmo breakwater (Starboard side) whilst the tower on the Ricasoli side is red coloured (Port side). This is in line with the original design and with the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) regulations.

The new lanterns now provide a daytime visual navigational indication corresponding with that provided by the lights at night and complete the restorative works carried out on the Grand Harbour Breakwaters.

Transport Malta applied for European Funding under the Cohesion Policy 2007 – 2013 Operational Programme 1, to implement the required refurbishment works on the Grand harbour breakwaters while respecting their historical status.

The Valletta/Ricasoli Breakwaters were originally built by the British at the turn of the last century to protect the Royal Navy’s ships berthed at the Grand Harbour. Two navigational towers (lighthouses) were erected at the tip ends of the breakwaters.

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