Vincenti Tower (Maltese: Torri Vinċenti) is a tower in Mqabba, Malta.[1] It was built in 1726 by Fra Orfeo de Vincenzo, a Prior of the Order of St. John. It forms part of a countryside residence, which also includes a palace/farmhouse known as Ta' Torri Spero, and a garden between the palace and the tower.[2]
The tower was originally four stories high, with a balcony on its second floor, and it had a scarped base which made it somewhat similar to coastal watchtowers such as the De Redin towers. The tower had a coat of arms and an inscription commemorating its construction, but these are now lost.[2]
War-damaged Vincenti Tower in 1942
On 2 June 1941, during World War II, the British military requisitioned the tower from its owner Sir William John England, and used it as an observation post. It was prone to aerial bombardment due to its proximity to the RAF Luqa airfield. It was hit on 12 April 1942, and the bottom floor was substantially damaged although the structure did not collapse.[2]
However, the Royal Air Force later decided to pull down the tower since it was deemed dangerous to the nearby airfield. The upper sections were pulled down, but the scarped ground floor and part of the first floor were retained.[2]
Ta' Torri Spero, a country residence which was built at the same time as the tower
^"Torre Vincenti"(PDF). National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. 28 June 2013. Archived from the original(PDF) on 23 November 2015.
