Gozo's Qbajjar Battery to be given to Din l-Art Ħelwa

Gozo’s abandoned Qbajjar Battery will be handed to NGO Din l-Art Ħelwa to restore and manage.

Ministers Clint Camilleri and Owen Bonnici made the announcement after months of concerns over the state of the historic structure. 

Constructed by the Knights in the early 18th century, the Qolla l-Bajda Battery formed part of a chain of coastal defences. It remains the only surviving artillery battery of its type on Gozo.

Last year, attention was drawn to the Grade 1 scheduled landmark as it had been subject to neglect, deterioration, and vandalism.

In April 2023, Din l-Art Ħelwa said that despite the government’s pledge to transfer the property to the NGO, delays in the process were so prolonged that urgent restoration works risked coming too late, by which time the building could be destroyed.

In January 2025, the Lands Authority and Heritage Malta stated they would undertake works to “eliminate danger” within the structure.