This weekend the public are being given an opportunity to view the ongoing restoration work on the Citadel fortifications, as well as understand the process and procedures involved in this complex project.

The event is being organised by the Ministry for Gozo and the Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs.

On what turned out to be a very windy Saturday afternoon, the Prime Minister Dr Lawrence Gonzi together with the Minister for Resources and Rural Affairs George Pullicino and Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono visited the ongoing works on the the Citadel fortifications.

During the visit the Prime Minister spoke about the importance in the restoration of this heritage site. Minister George Pullicino explained in detail the technical work being carried on the Citadel and the Gozo Minister commented on how the restoration work being carried out is crucial to the island and its attraction to tourists.

Qualified personnel from the Restoration Directorate are conducting small groups of visitors around the different sites explaining the extent, nature and technicalities of the different types of consolidation and resoration interventions

The stability of the fortifications was threatened a few years ago after a storm, when some of the rock gave way. So following studies, a system has now been created to conslidate the rock bed, involving over 230 cloves, steel nails and steel anchors which range between six and 24 metres in length. Parts of the rock that are in a bad state, will have a safety net affixed.

The damage found on the rock bed and walls of the Citadel during the preparation works was very unique. The type of stone used in the construction of the Citadel, the way it was built along with the natural processes of deterioration, resulted in a particular damage to the stone that is slightly different from the type of deterioration that is characterised on other bastions in Malta.

The restoration work on the walls includes cleaning the stone from certain harmful elements, including caper bushes that have grown in the cracks The stones will be cleaned and changed where necessary and replastering carried out.

Work on the fortifications of the Citadel is being done at a cost of more than € 6 million, 85% of which is co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

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