Perched high above Mellieħa Bay, The Red Tower (also known as St. Agatha’s Tower), is one of Malta’s most iconic 17th-century watchtowers. Apart from large fortifications, Malta’s network of coastal watch towers began taking form in the early 17th century, primarily under the rule of the Order of St. John. These towers were constructed as a direct response to increasing threats from Ottoman forces and Barbary pirates, who frequently raided the Mediterranean.