The gardens were originally constructed as a private recreational space for the Italian knights of the Order of St. John.
The Saluting Battery located below the gardens is one of the oldest operating batteries in the world.
The gardens were opened to the general public by the British in 1800 following the expulsion of Napoleonic forces.
The terrace provides a direct line of sight for the traditional noon and sunset firing of the cannons below.
The bronze statue of Sir Winston Churchill in the garden commemorates his time spent in Malta during World War II.
The gardens are built atop the St. Peter and St. Paul Bastion, which forms part of the Valletta land front fortifications.
Upper Barrakka Gardens are public gardens located on the highest point of Valletta's 16th-century bastions. The site offers an unobstructed panoramic view of the Grand Harbour, the Three Cities, and the breakwater. The gardens feature a series of arched colonnades built in 1661 by the Order of St. John. Historically, the area functioned as a private exercise ground for the Italian knights of the Order before opening to the public in 1800. The Saluting Battery, situated on the terrace directly below the gardens, remains an active ceremonial site. The space houses various monuments and plaques dedicated to notable historical figures including Winston Churchill and Albert Einstein. Lush floral displays and fountain features provide contrast to the limestone architecture of the surrounding fortifications.
The central stone archway framing the view of the Three Cities across the Grand Harbour.
Arrive shortly before the ceremonial cannon fire to secure a spot along the railing for the best view.
Explore the lower terrace via the staircase to reach the Saluting Battery and military museum area.
Use the garden's public elevators to descend directly to the Grand Harbour waterfront level.
Do not attempt to walk down the steep, non-pedestrian bastions surrounding the garden; use the official elevator or nearby city streets.
