Victoria Lines

The United Kingdom formally occupied the Maltese Islands from 1814 to 1964, and in that time, the islands functioned as a strategic military outpost for the empire. In the 19th century, the British military sought to improve the largest island’s land defenses to protect the vitally important harbors at Valletta. Constructing the fortifications close to the harbor would have made the most sense from a military perspective, but because suburbs had already developed around the harbor, it wasn’t a practical decision. Instead, the military decided to build a series of fortifications along a natural ridge line in the north of the island of Malta, about several miles from the harbor.

The creation of these fortifications began in 1875 with the construction of three separate polygonal-style forts named Fort Mosta, Fort Binġemma, and Fort Madalena. The center of the line was further fortified by the creation of an entrenchment named the Dwejra Lines. Later, in the 1890s, the fortifications were linked together by a continuous infantry wall following the crest of the ridge, and additional batteries, magazines, and searchlights were added to the defensive lines. In 1897, this seven-mile-long network of fortifications was named the Victoria Lines in honor of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.

However, the fortifications were obsolete as soon as they were completed. Military tests in 1900 demonstrated that the defenses could easily be bypassed, and the Victoria Lines were abandoned in 1907, although the forts themselves continued to play a useful naval defensive role through World War II. 

Over time, the abandoned Victoria Lines have become a popular hiking trail across the northern section of Malta. Visitors can now casually walk along sections of the trail and enjoy the views of the towns and farmland on the north side of the island, and explore the abandoned military fortifications along the route.