War H.Q. Tunnels

Useful Information

Location:	Saluting Battery, Battery Street, Valletta, VLT1221. (35.8946023, 14.5125464)
Open:	All year Mon-Sat 10-16:30, last entry 16. Guided Tours: All year Mon-Sat 10:30, 13. [2024]
Fee:	Adults EUR 3, Children (5-15) EUR 1. Guided Tours: Adults EUR 17. [2024]
Classification:	World War II Bunker
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	War H.Q. Tunnels, Saluting Battery, Battery Street, Valletta, VLT1221, Tel: +356-. Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna 2022, Tel: +356-21800992. E-mail: Malta at War Museum, Triq Couvre Porte, Birgu, BRG1810, Vittoriosa,
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1940	built to accommodate the Combined War Headquarters of all three services underground to protect it from aerial attack.
1940-43	Fighter Sector Operations Room during the Battle for Malta.
2015	opened to the public after a €1.7 Million restoration.

Description

War H.Q. Tunnels are located at the Saluting Battery, where the tickets are sold, under the Upper Barrakka. These tunnels were built in 1940 to accommodate the Combined War Headquarters of all three services. The underground location was to protect it from aerial attack. It was the home of the Fighter Sector Operations Room, and was essential during the Battle for Malta 1940-43. In 1943 the war headquarters migrated to the site which is nowadays known as the Lascaris War Rooms. After the war, it was used by the NATO until 1977, even before the end of the Cold War. The tunnels were unused for decades, but they were renovated and opened to the public as part of the Malta at War Museum. The restoration cost €1.7 Million and took several years, the site was opened to the public in 2015.

The tunnel was originally excavated by the Knights of St John and used to link Battery Street to St Peter and St Paul Counterguard.

The tunnels were unused for decades, but lately they were renovated and opened to the public as part of the Malta at War Museum. This museum has an above-ground exhibition and offers three underground tours, the tunnels below the museum, the Lascaris War Rooms and the War H.Q. Tunnels.