The Red Tower

St. Agatha's tower painted in red

St. Agatha’s Tower in Mellieha, is more known as the Red Tower because of the colour that it was painted in when it was restored. It was built in 1647 by Grandmaster Lascaris, and at that time, it was the farthest fortification from Valletta, serving as a good communication medium to Gozo. During the time of the Knights, it was equipped with a cannon and a defence force of 30 men.

The entrance could be accessed over a drawbridge from a set of steps. It is built on a squarish plan with four towers in each corner, and outer walls measuring 4 metres thick. During the British period it regained its defence use, and recently it was converted to a radar station by the Armed Forces of Malta.