Source: 123rf
Of all the walls, the Chinese one is certainly the most famous. But it is certainly not the only one.
From its replica in China (in the Xixia area, Nanchang province) to the very Italian Fort of Fenestrelle, in Asia as in Europe it is possible to admire small and large walls to walk and photograph.
Not far from Italy, for example, on the island of Malta there are Victoria Lines. Spectacular fortifications, which for decades have been in a state of abandonment, remaining unknown to most.
Strategically built on the edge of a fault, they divide the north of the island from the more populated south running for 12 kilometers between Fomm ir-Riħ and Madliena. But, unlike more touristy places such as the medieval city of Mdnina or the port of Valletta, only a few tourists venture to visit them.
Nicknamed “the Great Wall of Malta“, the Victoria Lines were built byBritish army in the second half of the 19th century, and are part of a set of fortifications that see a succession of forts, trenches and watchtowers along a continuous line that connects them to each other. Climbing up the ramparts you can enjoy an incomparable view of the island of Malta, but also of nearby Gozo and Comino. But it is by walking through them that you can get an idea of the grandeur of the work.
Their construction began at the end of the nineteenth century by the engineers of the English Crown, while the inauguration took place in 1897. The aim of the wall was to link together a series of previously distant forts, so as to provide a long and continuous route for British military patrols: at that time, England was in fact at war with several countries (France and Italy first and foremost), although the determining factor for the birth of the Victoria Lines was the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and the consequent increase in ships that they sailed the Mediterranean.
However, that wall, for defensive purposes, was never really used. And, abandoned at the beginning of the twentieth century and then reused during World War II, it ended up falling into oblivion again once the conflict ended. Today, however, the Victoria Lines are experiencing a second life: Malta has understood that it has in its heart a treasure of inestimable value, which - by the end of the year - will give life to the first historical walkway of the entire island.
In fact, they are currently in the planning phase two percorsi lungo la muraglia: uno da Conciccioni a Mosta, l'altro da Gharghur a Pembroke. To walk through history, immersed in wild nature and with a breathtaking view.
