Marsalforn Tower or Ix-Xaghra Tower was built in 1616 while Fra Alof de Wignacourt

Alof de Wignacourt

Fra' Alof de Wignacourt was the 54th Grand Master of the Order of Malta, from 1601 to 1622. He was of the langue of France. His reign was notable for the construction of a number of coastal fortifications , and of the aqueduct that brought water from the plateau above Rabat to Valletta...

 was Grand Master

Grand Master (order)

Grand Master is the typical title of the supreme head of various orders of knighthood, including various military orders, religious orders and civil orders such as the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Orange Order...

 of the Knights Hospitaller

Knights Hospitaller

The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...

 of St. John

John the Apostle

John the Apostle, John the Apostle, John the Apostle, (Aramaic Yoħanna, (c. 6 - c. 100) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He was the son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother of James, another of the Twelve Apostles...

, and thus is one of the Wignacourt towers

Wignacourt towers

The Wignacourt towers are a series of fortifications on the island of Malta built by the Knights of Malta.The initial towers of this type were built under the auspices of Grand Master Fra Aloph de Wignacourt...

. The tower's design is attributed to the military engineer Giovanni Rinaldini. To the west the tower commanded Marsalforn

Marsalforn

Marsalforn is a village on the north west coast of Gozo, the second largest island of the Maltese archipelago. The village lies between the hill-top towns of Xagħra and Żebbuġ The village forms part of the locality of Żebbuġ. Marsalforn is the most popular tourist resort on Gozo. It is well...

 Bay and to the east it commanded ir-Ramla Bay, thus guarding the northern approach to Gozo

Gozo

Gozo is a small island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Southern European country of Malta; after the island of Malta itself, it is the second-largest island in the archipelago...

. Unfortunately, having been built on the edge of a cliff, it collapsed in 1716.

In 1720, Fra Ramon Perellos y Roccaful

Ramon Perellos y Roccaful

Fra' Ramon Perellos de Rocaful was the 64th Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta between 1697 and 1720. He lived in Malta in 1653, as soon as he entered the order. In 1658 he joined the board of the Master and in 1697 was elected Grand Master...

, 64th Grandmaster of the Knights of Malta

Knights Hospitaller

The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...

 had a second Marsalforn Tower, also known as the Perellos Tower, built in the center of the tal-Qortin plateau. The architect was the military engineer Charles François de Mondion

Charles François de Mondion

Charles Francois de Mondion was a French military engineer who first arrived in Malta in 1715 during the principate of Grand Master Ramon Perellos y Roccaful of the Knights of Malta. His early work was as deputy to the Military Engineer Rene Jacob de Tigne...

, who gave it the form of a redoubt

Redoubt

A redoubt is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on earthworks, though others are constructed of stone or brick. It is meant to protect soldiers outside the main defensive line and can be a permanent structure or a...

, mounting several cannon. It was demolished in 1915, but reportedly one can still see some of its foundations.