Due to this, it was decided that a major expansion was necessary, and in 1552 the tower was demolished and a new star fort began to be built.

[4] During the bombardment of the fort, a cannon misfired and hit the top of its parapet, sending shards in all directions.

The long siege bought much needed time for the preparation of the other two fortresses and the arrival of reinforcements from Spain.

[4] After the siege, Grandmaster Jean Parisot de Valette decided to build a new city on the peninsula.

In the late 17th century, the fort was directly linked to the cavalier and part of the ditch was filled in burying some of the original ramparts in the process.

The heads of the three executed men were displayed on the corners of St James Cavalier but were removed soon after Emmanuel de Rohan-Polduc was elected Grandmaster in November of the same year.

Among the people that were in the fort during the air raid was the military doctor Ċensu Tabone, who later became President of Malta.

The force was detected early on by a British radar facility, and the coastal artillery at Saint Elmo opened fire when the Italians approached to close range.

[11] The Royal Malta Artillery left the fort on 26 March 1972, ending its long military history.

[15] Lower Saint Elmo has been cleaned from the waste that accumulated over the years,[16] and the Grand Harbour Regeneration Corporation is making plans to begin restoration.

This was an important find because little of the original fort exists, mainly because Laparelli rebuilt it in 1566 and it underwent a lot of renovation between the 17th and 19th centuries.

[26] After the fortifications of Valletta were built, Vendôme Bastion was constructed in 1614 linking the French Curtain to Fort St. Elmo.

[27] The Carafa Enceinte, which was built starting from 1687, encloses the original fort as well as Vendôme Bastion.

It consists of the following bastions and curtain walls: Some barrack blocks are located in the area between Upper St. Elmo and the Carafa Enceinte.