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Malta
Island of Malta
Kalkara
Things to Do in Kalkara
Fort Rinella
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Fort Rinella

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See all things to do
Fort Rinella
5
#1 of 11 things to do in Kalkara
Military Museums
Saturday
10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
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About
Fort Rinella in Kalkara,was built in 1878. This fort is not only a unique remnant of Malta's recent British colonial past, but it is also the world's first mechanical fort which enabled its small garrison to fire a monstrous 100-ton gun every six minutes. To be able to do this, the fort was equipped with a novel steam-driven hydraulic set-up that enabled the gun to traverse and depress and its ammunition to be hoisted and loaded mechanically. On visiting this fort in 1889, the great French writer Jules Verne described it as a marvel of the industrial age which would render Malta safe for ever. Some say that this is the place from where he got the idea of writing his famous novel a 'Voyage to the Moon', where a man is stuffed into a large projectile and fired from a large gun onto the moon!Originally, the 100-ton gun was built by Sir William George Armstrong of Newcastle in 1878, to equip a new class of Italian battleships - the Duilio class. This caused a serious stir between Britain and Italy which led to the former to obtain examples of the same gun to secure Malta and Gibraltar against a potential Italian seaborne attack.The Armstrong 100-ton gun has a calibre of 17.72-Inches (45cm). It is 35 feet long and has an overall weight of 156 tons making it the world's largest muzzle-loading cannon ever built. It used a quarter of a ton of gun powder to propel its monster shells up to a maximum range of eight miles. At that range it could pierce anything up to 21-inches of ship armour! The gun at Fort Rinella and another at Napier of Magdala Battery in Gibraltar are the sole surving examples today. The fort has recently undergone extensive restoration and improvement. A new 20-minute audio-visual outlining the history of the fort and its gun has also been added and is included in all guided tours.RE-Live History at Fort Rinella - Every afternoon from Monday to Saturday!Throughout the year, from Monday to Saturday at 14.00Hrs sharp, Fort Rinella is brought back to life complete with late 19th century Victorian soldiers who will take visitors on an animated tour around the fort. This tour combines excellent guiding with live and colourful historical re-enacting including military signalling, firing of rifles, bayonet practice, military cooking and more. Much use of original period equipment and weapons is made throughout this tour. All this goes to provide an enjoyable and long lasting experience to visitors.
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
1,496 reviews
Excellent
1,334
Very good
114
Average
32
Poor
14
Terrible
2
Emily N
Bristol, UK19 contributions
Brilliant tour
Mar 2020 • Couples
My boyfriend and I arrived in the afternoon and just had time for a spot of lunch before the main tour started.
I have to say that If we had missed the tour we may have been a tad disappointed as it is quite a small place. However, I cannot stress enough how much of a lovely afternoon we spent there with the two tour guides. They’re very knowledgable and entertaining.
Absolute highlight was being given the option (at a small surcharge) of shooting an antique rifle (blanks of course)
I thoroughly recommend this little fort! Only sad we missed the earlier demonstrations with the swords!
Written March 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tecchiegirl
London, UK105 contributions
Fantastic historical site, wonderful knowledgeable guides
Jun 2021 • Friends
I visited Fort Rinella on a completely impromptu visit, thinking it literally was just a Fort and not much else. How wrong I was! So much history and so much detail: a fort built to protect a huge Armstrong 100-ton gun that also contains several historical items, the gun itself and a small museum. Truly a must visit for anyone wanting to learn more about how the British protected their own military. My guides were the wonderful David Church and Jake Buhagiar: both had in-depth knowledge and were able to reply to my many questions. I will definitely be visiting again. Cherry on the way icing (a) cold drinks and ice creams at the entrance/exit and (b) only €13 and you can use your government vouchers as well.
Written July 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lesley t
Norfolk, UK29 contributions
We never thought a 100 ton gun would be so interesting!
Mar 2020
Thanks to Michael, Jeremy and Erton, we had a fascinating visit to Fort Rinella today as they really brought the place to life. We enjoyed a guided tour with Michael, which included a detailed explanation of how the gun was operated, enhanced by a video display. We were also shown the day to day living conditions and explored the tunnels, and small museum. Later, Jeremy and Michael performed a signalling display, followed by bayonet practice with Erton. We thought we would only be there for an hour, but it turned into more than 3! There were not many visitors when we were there, as the Fort is a little way out of Valletta, but it is well worth the effort of getting there. Highly recommended.
Written March 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lovetravel
2 contributions
Interesting and historic fort with great guides
Nov 2020
I visited here with friends in Nov 20 and we were treated to a special tour as it was very quiet,

The history in this area is very interesting, and our guide was very knowledgable and enthusiastic about his subject. The people that work or volunteer here have a passion for their subject and their fort and this comes across.

I think a €13 charge to enter is a little high, but otherwise it's a nice afternoons visit, made especially enjoyable by the people. We finished our day with a meal by the beach to round off a lovely day.
Written November 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HolidayGirl741
Dundee, UK6 contributions
Great demonstrations from David and Ayrton
Jul 2023 • Family
Great facts and information from David Church regarding the cannon, fort and history. My son was overjoyed to be able to fire the Martini-Henry rifle (£5 donation), it was the highlight of his holiday! The demonstration from Ayrton and David on use of rifles and stance positions was particularly interesting. We would definitely recommend visiting, be aware it is only open on Saturdays at present.
Written July 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AhlanM
Zurich, Switzerland110 contributions
As good as ever
Sep 2023 • Family
I have nothing new to add to the recent five star reviews other than to totally endorse what the others have written. This is one of my favourite sites to visit when in Malta. I have been many times and every time I come away having learnt something new. The guides are excellent and I truly admire their enthusiasm. Its is a Pity that they are currently only open on Saturdays which will probably mean less visitors. They also no longer have the little cafe nor sell Merchandise which is a shame because I think they could make a little more cash if they did. I am already looking forward to my next visit.
Easy to get to from Valetta, direct half hourly bus that stop at the fort entrance - I recommend to go in the morning in order to give yourself enough time to see all that is on offer.
Written October 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Simon W
Birmingham, UK1 contribution
Fantastic!!
Feb 2020
Had a fantastic time during my visit to Fort Rinella. What really made it was the tour guides; David, Mike and Ryan. Being dressed in period costume, they really gave the site a sense of atmosphre, and the demonstrations of the rifles and bayonets was just brilliant. But it was also watching the short animated movie describing how the gun operated that really fascinated me.

The staff really bring the museum to life, and considering they don't get any help from the government, they should all be congratulated. If ever you visit Malta, put this on your list of places to visit, you won't regret it!
Written March 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anna M
1 contribution
If you're interested in history even a little bit, the Rinella's obligatory spot to visit
May 2021 • Solo
I've got an experience of visit Rinella during covid pandemia. Thus, I could feel like a VIP, cause number of visitors was so small that I got personal guide. He was very smart and I was impressed after his story about a place. I asked extra questions and he was able to answer on everything. I was invited by him to short military show (300 years in 10 minutes :) ) that's recommended to see, if you've got time. It's visible this place's created by people with a real passion.
Written May 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Neil R
2 contributions
Fort Rinella . 100t gun. Top tour guide - Nathan, James kept his head down.
Jun 2023 • Couples
Very interesting guided tour around the Fort and 100t gun. Great explanation of the guns workings with video representation. Nathan delivers his tour to all ages including some questions from a young member of the group. We got to fire a genuine antique Martini black powder rifle. All they ask for is a donation (€5) on-top of the entrance fee to help them continue with their renovations. Definitely recommend to anyone with an interest in Malta’s military history. No 3 Bus from Valletta bus station. @25 min.
Written June 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stephen C
Island of Malta, Malta93 contributions
Great afternoon out, definitely worth a visit.
Feb 2020 • Couples
My wife and I decided to play tourists for a day and decide to visit this fantastic historic venue unplanned. It had been years we hadn't visited and we were pleasantly surprised with the organisation and passion with which the staff and volunteers run the place. Whether you are a military passionate or simply want to avoid a piece of Maltese history be sure to visit and enjoy the tour on offer. The staff are super friendly and deserve a big tap on the back for all their effort in re-enacting the drills and life inside this well maintained fort. Highly recommended, keep it up guys, well done!!
Written February 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Fort Rinella, Kalkara

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