Wied Musa Battery: A Coastal Fortress with a Storied Past

Wied Musa Battery, also known as Swatar Battery, is a historical artillery battery located in Marfa, within the limits of Mellieħa, Malta. Built between 1714 and 1716 by the Order of Saint John, it formed part of a network of coastal defenses around the Maltese Islands. The battery's strategic position allowed it to command the South Comino Channel in conjunction with Saint Mary's Battery on Comino Island.Originally, Wied Musa Battery featured a semi-circular gun platform with a parapet containing four embrasures for artillery deployment. Historical records from 1785 indicate it was armed with four 8-pounder guns. A rectangular blockhouse at the rear provided storage and operational space. In the 19th century, the battery was transformed into the Marfa Palace Hotel, also known as Palazz l-Aħmar (Red Palace). This conversion led to significant modifications, including incorporating the blockhouse into the new hotel structure and demolishing the redan, a V-shaped projection that enhanced landward defenses. Despite these changes, the gun platform remained largely intact.Today, the gun platform of Wied Musa Battery is well-preserved, showcasing original hardstone flagstones and areas for stacking cannonballs. Although the structure is stable, the entire building is abandoned and in a dilapidated state.