page_title: Tal-Wejter Tower
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Tal-Wejter Tower / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Tal-Wejter Tower
context_page_description: Tal-Wejter Tower is a tower in Birkirkara, Malta, which was built in the early 18th century by the Order of Saint John. It is also known locally as it-Torri tal-Misħun, a reference to its machicolations which are known as galleriji tal-misħun in Maltese. The tower was partially demolished in the 1960s, but it was later rebuilt. Today, it is in a rather dilapidated state.
context_section_description: The area where the tower is found was known as Għassiewi, meaning guarded place. Till the late 20th century, the community was known as Tal-Wejter. The nearby valley was known as Tal-Wejter Valley.
  Tal-Wejter Tower was commissioned by Grand Master Ramon Perellos y Roccaful, and it was built in the early 18th century. The tower stood on the road leading from San Ġwann and St. Julian's to Birkirkara. This area is now built up and the tower is surrounded by modern buildings.
  The tower was built to watch over the inland areas in the surrounding region of Birkirkara and to bridge the site of the Birkirkara Tower and Floriana. The project took place on the recommendations by Captain Foulet and Commander D'Argens, who were French knights of the Order of St. John.
  Part of the tower was illegally demolished in 1968, but it was later rebuilt. Today, the tower is still intact but it is deteriorating and it is feared that it might collapse. The building is privately owned, and it is currently for sale. It was scheduled as a Grade 2 national monument by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority in 2012.
caption: Entrance to the tower
exif: {"Image Make": "Apple", "Image Model": "iPad Air", "Image Orientation": "Rotated 90 CW", "Image XResolution": "72", "Image YResolution": "72", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "10.0.2", "Image DateTime": "2016:11:15 12:37:07", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Centered", "Image ExifOffset": "206", "GPS GPSLatitudeRef": "N", "GPS GPSLatitude": "[35, 53, 999/20]", "GPS GPSLongitudeRef": "E", "GPS GPSLongitude": "[14, 28, 82/25]", "GPS GPSAltitudeRef": "0", "GPS GPSAltitude": "18206/639", "GPS GPSTimeStamp": "[11, 36, 847/20]", "GPS GPSSpeedRef": "K", "GPS GPSSpeed": "0", "GPS GPSImgDirectionRef": "T", "GPS GPSImgDirection": "198927/772", "GPS GPSDestBearingRef": "T", "GPS GPSDestBearing": "198927/772", "GPS GPSDate": "2016:11:15", "GPS Tag 0x001F": "165", "Image GPSInfo": "1028", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail XResolution": "72", "Thumbnail YResolution": "72", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "1432", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "9072", "EXIF ExposureTime": "1/100", "EXIF FNumber": "12/5", "EXIF ExposureProgram": "Program Normal", "EXIF ISOSpeedRatings": "50", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0221", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2016:11:15 12:37:07", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2016:11:15 12:37:07", "EXIF ComponentsConfiguration": "YCbCr", "EXIF ShutterSpeedValue": "1661/250", "EXIF ApertureValue": "4845/1918", "EXIF BrightnessValue": "3482/591", "EXIF ExposureBiasValue": "0", "EXIF MeteringMode": "Pattern", "EXIF Flash": "No flash function", "EXIF FocalLength": "33/10", "EXIF SubjectArea": "[1295, 967, 1425, 851]", "EXIF SubSecTimeOriginal": "421", "EXIF SubSecTimeDigitized": "421", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0100", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "2592", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "1936", "EXIF SensingMethod": "One-chip color area", "EXIF SceneType": "Directly Photographed", "EXIF ExposureMode": "Auto Exposure", "EXIF WhiteBalance": "Auto", "EXIF FocalLengthIn35mmFilm": "32", "EXIF SceneCaptureType": "Standard", "EXIF LensSpecification": "[33/10, 33/10, 12/5, 12/5]", "EXIF LensMake": "Apple", "EXIF LensModel": "iPad Air back camera 3.3mm f/2.4"}