By Gentlemen for Gentlemen—Ria Coastal Landforms and the Fortified Imprints of Valletta and Its Harbours

Abstract

Ria coastal landforms are important geomorphological features because they provide a highly irregular coastline and, if sited on important channels and waterways, can be transformed from harbours, due to their features, to ports, as a result of human activities. Thus, their landscape is a reflection of two geographies: the natural indentation into the landmass and the human changes made especially to their littoral. This chapter first gives a brief account of the importance of coastal classification within geomorphology; and, secondly, a detailed definition of rias together with an account showing their importance to the Maltese Islands. The highly indented coast gives the Maltese Islands a relatively long coastline with respect to its landmass thus allowing the possibility of intense human interaction along the littoral. The second part of the chapter integrates the geographical features of the Harbours’ ria coastline with the building of the fortifications by the Order of St. John for the defence of the islands. By the end of their rule, which lasted more than two centuries, the Knights finally succeeded in defending the whole shoreline with structural changes along all the promontories of the harbours and the rectilinear parts of the coast.