The Kunċizzjoni Electric Light Engine Room is an underground defensive structure built at the dawn of the discovery of electricity and employed for coastal defence.

Background History

The Victoria Lines, originally known as the Northwest Front are a line of fortifications that spans 12 kilometres along the width of Malta, dividing the north of the island from the more heavily populated south. When built by the British military in the late 19th century, the line was designed to present a physical barrier to invading forces landing in the north of Malta, intent on attacking the harbour installations, so vital for the maintenance of the British fleet, their source of power in the Mediterranean.

By 1888, it was already clear that the north west front has serious defence limitations towards the extremities of the Victoria Lines, particularly to the west.

“… the manoeuvres which recently took place, show that it is possible for enemy troops to land in Fomm ir-Riħ and gain the rear of the fortified (Victoria) line unperceived from the existing work. Such an operation might be prevented by strengthening the line between Benjemma and the sea and taking advantage of the obstacles which already exist”.

Lieutenant General Sir Lothian Nicholson and Major-General Goodenough.

The recommendations included building blockhouses for troops, erecting emplacements for quick firing guns, scarping of the cliff face and deploying farmhouses for defence purposes.

The Kunċizzjoni Electric Light Engine Room was built by the British Military between 1897 and 1917. It is not conceived as part of the Victoria Lines defence system, but was built to strengthen the weaknesses of the western extremity of the Victoria Lines overlooking Fomm ir-Riħ Bay.

Records show that on the 11th of November 1896, a contract of freehold purchaser was signed between the Secretary of State and Baron Sciberras Trigona on behalf of the Benedictine Nuns of Mdina.

The site on which Kunċizzjoni Electric Light engine room was built was bought by the British Military in 1896. By April 1897, works were already in progress and, as can be seen in official records found at the National Archives in London, the redoubt was already in place.

On the 21st of July 1904, a contract was signed, between the secretary of State and Reverend Giuseppe Dei Conti Manduca noe to acquire the Directum Dominium and the Noble Charles Edward Strickland to acquire the Utile Dominium.

The site used the latest military technology available. Although only a few upright sections remain, the site made early use of barbed wire for costal defence. Other defence features included prickly pear plants, the scarping of part of the perimeter slope, rubble wall infantry field defences, a musketry gallery, a fire trench and maxim machine guns.

The external windows and door of the redoubt were protected by solid steel plates and the internal windows by corrugated steel roller shutters. The above-ground facility consisted of two concrete boxes, one to house the search light, located further down the hill towards the northwest, and one to house the direction observer. The two facilities were connected by a communication underground masonry construction, cut into the upper coralline limestone. The facility included quarters for the caretaker.

This military installation is unique in Malta.