Notre Dame Gate, Birgu

City Gate in Birgu

The Notre Dame Gate in Birgu with old traditional maltese bus in front it

CC BY-SA 4.0 / Renata Apan

Standing proudly at the entrance to the fortified Cottonera region, the Notre Dame Gate is one of the top attractions in Cottonera for travellers fascinated by Malta's military architecture. Built in 1675 as the principal gateway into Birgu, Senglea, and Cospicua, it remains the most imposing surviving structure of the Cottonera Lines. Rising four storeys and crowned with Baroque flourishes, the gate is both an artistic triumph and a fortification designed for war. Its ornate façade, classical pilasters, and lofty cornice capture the grandeur of the Knights' later architectural style.

Today, the gate is a great place to visit on a walking tour of Cottonera, especially for visitors interested in panoramic views. From its upper terrace, the landscape spreads dramatically from the Grand Harbour to the surrounding countryside - a vantage point once used to monitor approaching armies and naval forces. Inside, preserved chambers and casemates reveal centuries of military, naval, and medical history.

History and Significance of Notre Dame Gate
Things to See and Do in Notre Dame Gate
How to Get There
Practical Tips on Visiting Notre Dame Gate
Where to Stay close to Notre Dame Gate
Is Notre Dame Gate Worth Visiting?
FAQs for Visiting
Nearby Attractions to Notre Dame Gate

History and Significance of Notre Dame Gate

Notre Dame Gate was constructed in 1675 under the Order of St. John as the ceremonial and defensive main entrance to the newly expanded Cottonera fortifications. Commissioned during the rule of Grand Master Nicolas Cotoner, the gate served as the symbolic and strategic threshold into the Three Cities. It reflected an era of ambitious military investment, built to counter growing threats from land invasion.

The structure incorporates four massive bomb-proof casemates stacked on either side of the central roadway, showcasing innovative 17th-century engineering. Above them, the original gatehouse once held the lifting mechanism for a portcullis, providing additional defence. Decorative motifs and Baroque ornamentation highlight the gate’s dual role - a grand civic statement and a formidable military barrier.

Through the centuries, the gate witnessed multiple regimes. Its limestone bears musket holes, carved initials, and graffiti created by soldiers, sailors, and garrison troops under the Order, the French Occupation, and British rule. Every mark forms part of a living chronicle of Malta’s defensive past.

In 1870, during the British era, the nearby Cottonera Military Hospital repurposed the gate as part of its complex. Throughout World War I - when Malta was known as the Nurse of the Mediterranean - the interior chambers served as convalescent wards and administrative offices. This shift from military stronghold to medical outpost underscores the evolution of the island’s role in modern warfare.

Today, restored and managed by Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna, Notre Dame Gate stands as one of Malta's finest examples of Baroque fortification design.

Things to See and Do in Notre Dame Gate

Visitors can explore several interior rooms, including the vaulted casemates that once supported the gate’s defensive and administrative functions. The preserved gatehouse features displays explaining the gate’s construction, its strategic position, and its later use as a hospital annex.

The highlight is the rooftop terrace. From here, expansive views stretch across the Cottonera Lines, over the Three Cities, and toward Valletta and the Maltese countryside. This vantage point not only illustrates the fort's strategic importance but also provides some of the most striking photography opportunities in the region.

Around the gate, visitors can admire its ornate façade, carved heraldic designs, and surviving historical marks, each telling a story of conflict, governance, and resilience.

How to Get There

Notre Dame Gate is located on the landward side of the Cottonera region and is easily accessed from Valletta by bus, with stops near Cospicua. The Grand Harbour ferry to Birgu or Senglea also provides a scenic route, followed by a short walk or bus ride. If travelling by car, parking is available near the Cottonera Lines and around Cospicua's modern streets.

Practical Tips on Visiting Notre Dame Gate

Best time to visit Notre Dame Gate: Late afternoon for soft light and excellent rooftop views.
Entrance fee in Euros: Admission fees apply when interior areas are open to visitors.
Opening hours: Check Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna for current schedules.
Official website: wirtartna.org
How long to spend: Around 30-45 minutes, longer if exploring nearby fortifications.
Accessibility: Some steep steps; rooftop access may not be suitable for all visitors.
Facilities: Small exhibits, nearby cafés and shops within the Three Cities.
Photography tip: The rooftop terrace offers one of the best lookout points in Cottonera.
Guided tours: Occasionally offered by heritage organisations; check local listings.
Nearby food options: Restaurants and cafés along the Cospicua and Birgu waterfronts.

Where to Stay close to Notre Dame Gate

For travellers wanting to base themselves near the Cottonera Lines and the Three Cities' historic streets, several excellent boutique options are nearby. In Birgu, Locanda La Gelsomina offers an atmospheric heritage stay. Across the marina, Cugó Gran Macina Malta provides luxurious accommodation inside restored fortifications. Visitors staying in Valletta with direct ferry access to the Three Cities may prefer Casa Asti.

Is Notre Dame Gate Worth Visiting?

Yes. Notre Dame Gate is one of the most impressive Baroque military structures in Malta and a superb example of the Knights' architectural ambition. Its historical layers - from fortification to hospital annex - make it a fascinating stop, while its rooftop view alone makes the visit worthwhile. For travellers exploring the Three Cities, it's a memorable and meaningful landmark.

What Other Travellers Say...

Reviews Summary

4.5 (295)

Notre Dame Gate in Birgu is a striking high-Baroque gate forming part of the fortified Cottonera Lines and serving historically as the main eastern entrance to the Three Cities; visitors note its ornate Corinthian pilasters, heavy mouldings, sculpted reliefs and commanding multi-level structure with underground chambers, barrack blocks, a gatehouse, veranda and signalling top, and say the rooftop offers expansive views across the area. They report the gate was long used for military purposes and later linked to nearby military hospital facilities, and today it houses the Malta Heritage Trust and can be visited via a guided tour that also accesses parts of the Cottonera Lines, an early 18th-century gunpowder magazine and WWII defences; travellers describe it as a pretty, worthwhile detour—especially if nearby—and a memorable introduction to Malta's architecture, while reminding others that much of the island is best reached by car or scooter rather than bicycle.

Ricardo Carrilho

4 months ago

"Notre Dame Gate is one of seven gates built into the fortified Cottonera Lines. Initiated by Grand Master Cotoner in 1670 following the Ottomancapture of Candia (Crete) it was meant to protect in-depth the Three Cities of Vittoriosa. Senglea and Cospicua against a renewed Ottoman attack. Notre Dame Gate also known as Porta della Maria Vergine delle Grazie; Zabbar Gate and Bieb is-Sultan was to serve as the main entrance into the fortified conglomeration from the east. It stands in the middle of Notre Dame Curtain from which it takes its name and is flanked by Notre Dame and St. James Bastions facing the ancient town of Zabbar. This grand gate remains to this day as the highest point in Cottonera from the roof of which one can enjoy breath taking vistas of most of the island and from where in the past military signals were relayed between the eastern coastal defences and Valletta proper. It stands on five levels consisting of two lateral underground chambers, two ground level barrack blocks, a grand gate house built on two levels and a spacious open veranda and a signalling top. Its architectural style follows that of the high-baroque period at which time it was built. It is lavishly decorated with Corinthian pilasters, heavy mouldings and fascias, symmetrical niches and apertures, a prominent balustrade, trophies and finials. This impressive assemblage is then surmounted by an enormous inscription in marble which denotes the foundation of the fortified lines. The plaque itself is crowned by a heavy bass-relief depicting a trophy of arms and two putti surrounding an alcove which shelters a heavy bronze effigy of Grand Master Cotoner, founder of the Cottonera Lines Notre Dame Gate remained in constant military use for almost 300 years It was garrisoned by Hospitaller, French Republican and British troops many of whom have left their indelible marks of their presence in the shape of numerous graffiti carved in stone. Perhaps the most notorious amongst these were the British 24th Regiment of Foot (South Wales Borders) of the Zulu wars fame who had stayed in the gate's barracks on their way to South Africa in 1874, Following the nearby building of the Cottonera Military Hospital in 1870. the gate gradually started serving as an adjunct to the new military medical establishment. Following the debacle at Gallipoli in 1915, thousands of badly wounded troops were brought to Malta for treatment and convalescence and some of these were accommodated at Notre Dame Gate for the duration of the Great War. in the ensuing world war, although receiving a direct hit which perforated one of the barracks roofs, the gate suffered little damage as opposed to the extensive material loss suffered at all of the Three Cities Today Notre Dame Gate serves as the headquarters of the Malta Heritage Trust-Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna and is available for visiting on an exclusive basis every Wednesday as part of a guided tour of the gate and the nearby Former Cottonera Military Hospital. This tour also gives access to parts of the Cottonera Lines, the early 18th century gun powder magazine and WW2 defences...."

See More See Less

Adrian Terkała

a year ago

"It was one of the first landmarks we saw after landing in Malta. We started our first day trip close-by, and the gate was the first of many fantasticbuilding in Malta. The whole country is full of amazing architecture, and it is quite poetic that this was our 'gate' to all those amazing spots. One thing to remember is that Malta is not a country for bicycle, and even walking is often difficult. Most people drive cars or scooters, so it is important to remember that not every road on the map is suited for pedestrians. It was here that we learned that cars rule the island :)..."

See More See Less

jezzaftw

a year ago

"A very pretty piece of architecture, not very unique , there are other Gates nearby with a similar style and of equal importance so id argue tryingto see all is redundant for most people. Defo worth a detour if nearby and have free time...."

See More See Less

FAQs for Visiting

It depends on scheduled opening hours and heritage events; check ahead.

Yes, during open visiting hours, though the steps can be steep.

Photography is usually permitted; confirm on arrival.

It no longer serves as a primary gateway but remains a monumental landmark.

Yes, though caution is advised on staircases and elevated areas.

Nearby Attractions to Notre Dame Gate

Post of Castile: A key stronghold in the Great Siege with dramatic defensive features.
Couvre Porte: An impressive Baroque counterguard marking the landward entrance to Birgu.
St. John Bastion: An elevated defensive structure offering superb harbour views.
Fort St. Angelo: The iconic stronghold at the tip of Birgu's peninsula.
Malta at War Museum: A gripping insight into World War II history inside the Cottonera region.

The Notre Dame Gate appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Birgu!

Moira & Andy

Hey! We're Moira & Andy. From hiking the Camino to trips around Europe in Bert our campervan — we've been traveling together since retirement in 2020!

Read our full story here

This website uses affiliate links which may earn a commission at no additional cost to you!