Manoel Island : an island with a fort …and a future

Abstract

Manoel Island is located within Marsamxett Harbour on the eastern seaboard of the largest island of the Maltese archipelago. It has a land area of 30.5 ha, about 0.3 km square, or about 0.09 per cent of the total area of the Maltese Islands. Although small in size it commands a strategic place within the harbours in that it occupies more than one half of the area of Marsamxett Harbour and its tip faces the eastern opening of the Harbour. Creeks also make up substantial parts of the local harbours and Manoel Island is flanked by Sliema and Lazzaretto Creeks. Access to the island is through a man-made bridge from Gzira. The island is very low as its highest point is only 27m above sea level when compared to the 253m of the highest point in Malta. The main buildings of historical importance on the island are Fort Manoel, in which a church dedicated to St Anthony of Padova and the Royal Malta Yacht Club are housed; Lazzaretto Hospital, which was a quarantine hospital; a cattle quarantine building; a customs house; and a cemetery chapel.