Fort St Elmo and the National War Museum: a WWII walkthrough

The fort that bought Valletta into existence

Fort St Elmo stands at the very tip of the Valletta peninsula, where the Grand Harbour and Marsamxett Harbour diverge. It is the oldest fortification on the site — a watchtower preceded the current star-shaped fort by centuries — and its position explains everything about why Valletta was built where it was. Control Fort St Elmo and you control the harbour entrance. Lose it and the entire anchorage is exposed.

The fort’s defining moment came in the Great Siege of 1565, when Ottoman forces under Mustafa Pasha besieged Malta in an attempt to dislodge the Knights of St John. Fort St Elmo was the first target. The garrison of approximately 600 Knights and Maltese soldiers held the fort for 31 days against an Ottoman force that contemporary estimates put at 40,000-50,000 men. When the fort finally fell, the garrison was essentially destroyed. Mustafa Pasha, inspecting the ruins, reportedly said that he could not imagine what the major fortifications must be worth if a minor one like St Elmo cost so much blood. He would find out: the Knights held Birgu and Senglea for another three months until the Ottoman fleet finally withdrew.

That sacrifice — the garrison of St Elmo buying time for the rest of the island’s defence — is part of the foundational story of Valletta. The new city built immediately after the siege was intended partly as a monument to the men who died at St Elmo.

The National War Museum

The National War Museum occupies the interior of the fort and is the primary reason most visitors come. The collection is divided between two eras: the Knights’ period (with emphasis on the Great Siege) and the Second World War.

The Great Siege material

The Great Siege section includes contemporary armour, weapons, Ottoman trophies, and detailed maps of the siege operations. The narrative is well constructed — Heritage Malta has invested in signage that explains the tactical context rather than just displaying objects. Visitors without prior knowledge of 16th-century naval warfare can follow the siege chronologically.

Of particular interest: the Ottoman cannon balls recovered from the siege sites, the personal effects of identified Knights, and the illustrated manuscripts showing the siege plan from the Ottoman perspective (these are rare primary sources).

The WWII collection

The WWII section is the more emotionally powerful of the two. Malta’s role in the Second World War was disproportionate to its size: its position between Sicily and the North African coast made it critical to Allied Mediterranean strategy, and the Axis powers subjected the island to one of the longest and most intense sustained aerial campaigns in history. Between 1940 and 1942, Malta endured over 3,000 air raids — more bombing, by tonnage, than London received during the entire Blitz.

The collection includes:

• King George VI’s personal George Cross: the medal awarded to Malta as a whole in 1942 — the first and only time the George Cross has been awarded to a civilian population. The original is on display here. This alone is worth the visit for those with interest in WWII history.
• Faith: one of three Gloster Sea Gladiator biplanes that became legendary in Malta’s war mythology. In June 1940, when the Italian air force began bombing Malta, the island’s air defence consisted of these three obsolete planes — referred to by the Maltese as “Faith, Hope, and Charity.” Only Faith survived the war intact.
• Wartime Maltese aircraft and artillery: Spitfires, Hurricanes, and the anti-aircraft guns that were the island’s primary defence.
• Civilian materials: ration books, shelter logs, civilian photographs — the ordinary human texture of living through three years of sustained bombardment.

The fort itself

Beyond the museum, the fort’s structure is impressive in its own right. The star-shaped bastion system, typical of 16th-century military engineering, wraps around the seaward tip of the peninsula. Walking the ramparts gives views across both harbours simultaneously and to the Three Cities directly across Grand Harbour.

The seaward bastions face toward the open sea — this is the direction from which the Ottomans attacked in 1565. From here, the geography of the siege becomes physically comprehensible in a way that maps and descriptions cannot fully convey.

Practical information

Tickets: Heritage Malta standard entry. Approximately 10 EUR adults (2026 prices). Check Heritage Malta website for current rates and the combined pass options.

Hours: generally Monday-Saturday 09:00-17:00. Hours subject to seasonal variation. The fort is occasionally used for events (particularly the Malta International Fireworks Festival, which is visible from the Grand Harbour bastions) and may have restricted access on those dates.

Access: Fort St Elmo is at the far eastern end of Valletta, a 15-20 minute walk from City Gate via Republic Street. It is at the bottom of a ramp from the upper city. The return walk involves a gentle uphill section.

Audio guide: the Heritage Malta audio guide covers both the museum collection and the fort’s architecture. It is included in the ticket price and genuinely adds value in the WWII section where the personal testimonies are significant.

The WWII walking tour as an alternative

For visitors specifically interested in the WWII story, the dedicated WWII full-day walking tour of Malta covers Fort St Elmo as part of a broader sweep including the wartime shelters under Valletta, Birgu, and other sites connected to Malta’s wartime role. This is the better option if you want the narrative context without self-navigating between sites.

World War II Malta Full-Day Walking Tour

The full-day WWII walking tour extends the story well beyond Fort St Elmo to the shelter system under Valletta’s streets, the airfields, and the memorial sites across the island. See the dedicated Valletta WWII tour guide for details.

For a Valletta Pass that covers multiple sites including Fort St Elmo alongside two walking tours and the 5D Malta show, the Valletta Pass is a viable option for visitors spending multiple days in the capital.

Malta: 2 City Walking Tours with Malta 5D Show Entry (Valletta Pass)

How Fort St Elmo connects to the rest of Malta’s military history

Fort St Elmo is one node in a dense network of fortifications across Malta and Gozo:

• Fort St Angelo in Birgu: the Knights’ original headquarters and the fort that held during the Great Siege. A direct counterpart to St Elmo. See the Fort St Angelo guide.
• The Three Cities (Birgu, Senglea, Cospicua): the fortified settlement that stood while the Ottomans besieged St Elmo across the harbour.
• Mdina: the old walled capital that was never taken. See the Mdina guide.
• The Citadella in Victoria, Gozo: Gozo’s equivalent of Mdina, similarly fortified and similarly significant to the island’s military history.

For planning a full Valletta cultural day that includes Fort St Elmo alongside St John’s and the Grand Master’s Palace, see the 5-day Malta itinerary.

Frequently asked questions about Fort St Elmo and the National War Museum

Is Fort St Elmo the same as the fort in the film Midnight Express?

No — that is a common confusion. Midnight Express was filmed in Malta (it was cheaper than Turkey), but the fort used for key scenes was Fort Ricasoli, not Fort St Elmo. Fort Ricasoli is across Grand Harbour and is not regularly open to the public.

Can you visit Fort St Elmo without going into the museum?

The fort’s external ramparts are accessible as part of the museum ticket. There is no separate charge for walking the bastions — they are part of the Heritage Malta site. You cannot access the interior museum areas without a ticket.

What is the George Cross and why does Malta have one?

The George Cross is the United Kingdom’s highest civilian decoration for gallantry. In April 1942, King George VI awarded the cross collectively to the people of Malta in recognition of their sustained resistance to Axis bombing campaigns. The citation read: “To honour her brave people I award the George Cross to the Island Fortress of Malta to bear witness to a heroism and devotion that will long be famous in history.” The original medal is on display in the National War Museum. Malta’s national day (September 8) commemorates the end of the Great Siege in 1565 and also the Italian armistice in 1943.

Were the three biplanes Faith, Hope, and Charity real?

Yes, though the mythology has been somewhat embellished. Three Gloster Sea Gladiator biplanes (which had been delivered to Malta in crates before the war) were assembled and used for Malta’s initial air defence in June 1940. The names “Faith, Hope, and Charity” were attached to them by a newspaper correspondent and caught popular imagination — they were not the official designations. Only one (Faith) survived the war intact. It is on display in the National War Museum.

How do I get to Fort St Elmo from the City Gate?

Walk the length of Republic Street from City Gate, past the Grand Master’s Palace, and continue east. The road descends toward the fort at the end of the peninsula. The walk takes 15-20 minutes at a comfortable pace. Alternatively, a short taxi or ride from City Gate drops you at the fort entrance in under 5 minutes.

Is there a café or restaurant at Fort St Elmo?

There is typically a small café within the Heritage Malta site, but the options are limited. A better plan is to have lunch at one of the restaurants near the fort entrance (on the approach road from the upper city) or return to Strait Street or St Lucia Street for the better value options.

Last reviewed: 2026-04-20