Lascaris War Rooms

Underground command centre

The Lascaris War Rooms are a complex of underground tunnels and chambers beneath Valletta's bastions, approximately 45 metres below Upper Barrakka Gardens. Carved from the bedrock, they served as the main command headquarters of British armed forces in the Mediterranean during World War II.

Operation Husky

From here, General Dwight Eisenhower and Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery commanded Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943. It was the largest amphibious operation in history up to that point (before D-Day). On large plotting tables, operators tracked the positions of ships and aircraft, with information flowing through communication systems from across the theatre of operations.

The Cold War

After World War II, NATO took over the tunnels. As part of the Naval Forces Southern Europe Headquarters (NAVSOUTH), the bunkers operated until 1977, when Malta left the Alliance. Original plotting tables, maps, communications equipment, and even tea cups left behind by operators have been preserved.

Practical tip: Entry EUR 15 with audio guide (Polish available). Tour takes about 45 minutes. Underground it is about 18 C year-round. Entrance from a street just below Upper Barrakka Gardens. Combine with the Saluting Battery.