Gozo environment group sounds alarm on dilapidated Fort Chambray

Għawdix, a Gozo-based environmental NGO, has sounded the alarm on the dire state of Fort Chambray, a historic fortress dating back to the 1750s and erected by the Knights of Saint John.

The organisation said the fortress is suffering “severe deterioration, evident in badly eroded stonework, fallen bastion blocks, extensive wall fissures, and dumped construction and municipal waste”.

Photo: Għawdix

“Għawdix urgently calls on all responsible entities, especially those contractually obligated, to initiate the necessary actions. Gozo is rapidly losing its heritage, making the preservation of Fort Chambray critical to safeguard Gozo’s unique history and architectural legacy,” the group said.

Għawdix said the privatisation of the historic site in 2004 is a major contributor to the fortress's current state of neglect, apart from geological challenges and prolonged neglect.

Despite the conditional approval of a restoration application (PA/00841/15) in July 2021, which specifically covered bastion walls and internal structures, critical restoration efforts appear to have stalled, the group said.

Photo: Għawdix