Dwejra Tower

Dwejra Tower (Torri tad-Dwejra), also known as Qawra Tower (Torri tal-Qawra), is a small watchtower in Dwejra Bay, limits of San Lawrenz on the island of Gozo in Malta. It was completed in 1652, and is one of the Lascaris towers. Today, it is in good condition and is open to the public.

It is one of four surviving towers on Gozo, with the others being Xlendi Tower, Mġarr ix-Xini Tower and Isopu Tower.

History
Dwejra Tower was built in 1652, with the cost of construction being funded by the Università of Gozo. The expenses for running the tower were covered by producing salt from the salt pans near it. It was equipped with three 6-pounder guns in the eighteenth century. In 1744, Grandmaster Pinto made going to the Fungus Rock illegal and Dwejra Tower was used as a lookout to prevent anyone climbing on the islet.

The tower was manned by the Royal Malta Fencible Artillery between 1839 and 1873. It was then abandoned until 1914, when the King's Own Malta Regiment and the Royal Malta Artillery were dispatched and it was manned by No 3 Company with two, and later four, 12-pounder guns. It was again used in World War II as an observation post, and in 1942 Captain Frank Debono and Carmelo Zahra, who were stationed there, rescued an RAF pilot who had crashed in the bay.

The tower was leased to Gerald de Trafford in 1956.

Present day
The tower was restored by Din l-Art Ħelwa between 1997 and 1999. It is now open to the public.

In popular culture

 * Dwejra Tower was used in the filming of the 1963 film Treasure in Malta.