Upper Barrakka Gardens & Saluting Battery

The park was originally created as a retreat for the Italian Knights of the Order of St John in 1661. They were opened as a public park in the early-19th century.

Saluting Battery

Just below the gardens is the saluting battery of cannons which have protected the city for nearly 500 years.

This not only was a defensive gun battery also used to fire a salute to visiting naval vessels. The battery fires every day at noon and 4pm. At the beginning of the 19th century, they started to fire a signal at midday, a practice that continues to this day. If you arrive an hour before you could take a tour of the batteries and see the cannons being fired. If you want to see the firing there is a small commentary starting 15 minutes before.