The Siege Bell War Memorial
This point of interest is available as audio on the tour: Visit Valletta, Step Into the World of the Knights of St. John
Standing with quiet dignity and a certain solemnity, the Siege Bell War Memorial ahead of you serves as a powerful reminder that Malta hasn’t always known the peace it enjoys today.
During World War II, particularly between 1940 and 1943, Malta—then a British colony—was the target of relentless bombing by Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany. Its strategic position in the Mediterranean made it a key target for the Axis powers in an effort to weaken the Allies. The consequences were devastating. Malta and its capital suffered heavy damage.
Over 1,700 air raids left three-quarters of Valletta in ruins, and more than 7,000 civilians and service members lost their lives. Nearly fifty years later, the Siege Bell War Memorial was inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth II and the former President of Malta to honour the memory of the fallen and to ensure their memory would live on.
Every day at noon, the deep toll of its 10-ton bronze bell rings out across the calm waters of the Grand Harbour.
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