Porta Reale Curtain is the central
curtain on the Valletta land front enceinte and originally held the main
gateway into the city. The curtain wall was largely rock-hewn with only the
upper elements and parapet constructed of stone. A sally-port opens up into the
ditch near the flank of St. John Bastion. A railway tunnel was cut into the
foot of the curtain during the late 19th century. The curtain also bears two
concrete bunkers dating from the Second World War mounted on the superior slope
of the wide parapet. The ERDF 039 sought to restore the masonry and rocky
fabric of the curtain whilst other public projects, undertaken in parallel,
have focused on erecting a new modern entrance into the city following the
design created by the renowned international architect Renzo Piano.