Easier access to fortifications : guidelines for preserving their defensive character

Abstract

Providing easier access and accessibility for all in historic monuments has always been a challenge. Sometimes highly intrusive interventions aimed to provide accessibility for all may impinge on the cultural significance and characteristics of historic buildings. Furthermore, since Malta does not have any guidelines for accessibility for all within historic buildings, as opposed to some other countries, this could be even more challenging and problematic. It is a known fact that fortifications were mostly designed not to be accessible by the enemy, thus catering for improvements to access such a building typology is even more challenging. In fact, in the past, interventions aimed at facilitating access to fortifications have resulted in an adverse effect on their characteristics and their interpretation as defensive structures, hence losing part of their significance. Therefore, this dissertation aims to discover ways how the provision of accessibility into fortifications could be achieved without impinging on their defensive characteristics. For the purpose of this research, ten fortifications were chosen for deeper analysis with regards to their significance and barriers they feature, of which five belong to the Knights' coastal tower typology, one Knights' coastal battery and four British polygonal forts. Eventually these studies lead to a set of guidelines that could influence decisions regarding the provision of accessibility for all into fortifications, and how such access can be provided not only without devaluing these monuments, but rather enhance their value and defensive character.