Victory Day celebrations at Fort St Angelo

On 8 September, Heritage Malta will open Fort St Angelo’s doors to the general public on a reduced admission price of €2 to commemorate Victory Day. The event will feature the opening of Upper Fort St Angelo, which is managed by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

Victory Day happens to be very significant for the Maltese Islands and its people since it marks a number of momentous events, including the victorious end of two terrible sieges. On 8 September 1565, the Ottoman forces gave up their attempt to take over the islands after three months of relentless fighting and heavy losses. The same day in 1943 saw the end of the brutal bombardments of the islands after the announcement of the armistice of the Fascist regime in Italy. Incidentally, the day coincides also with the celebration of the birth of the Virgin Mary.

In remembrance of these events, Heritage Malta will be organising a series of activities in Fort St Angelo:

At 10am Mass will be celebrated at the Chapel of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary,

At 11am, there will be a commemoration of the Great Siege victims and

At noon, another Mass will be cele- brated at the Chapel of St Anne.

Various re-enactment groups will animate the site throughout the day. These comprise Show of Arms, Historic Re-enactment Group Malta and Battlefront Malta. There will also be the participation of the Malta Historical Fencing Association, the Malta Royal Navy Association and Fridericus Rex Malta Falconers.

Visitors can also enjoy the traditional Regatta at the Grand Harbour in the afternoon.

Opening hours are from 9am until 6pm, last admission at 5.30pm.

Free entrance to Heritage Malta members who present their membership card. For further information visit www.heritagemalta.org or the agency’s official Facebook page