Situated approximately 45 meters deep beneath the Upper Barracca Gardens and the Saluting Battery in Valletta, the Lascaris War Rooms stand as one of Malta’s best-kept secrets from World War Two. Opened in time for Operation Husky - the Allied invasion of Sicily on 9/10 July 1943, these War Rooms comprise a vast network of underground tunnels and chambers that served as the British armed forces' Combined War HQ in Malta. From this strategic location, US General Dwight Eisenhower, as Supreme Commander of Allied Forces, launched the invasion of Sicily in 1943. The War Rooms played a crucial role in directing the defense of the island against Axis aggression and the Mediterranean War in general.

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In the immediate post-war years it was shared with NATO's HAFMED until 1970 and remained in constant use until July 1977. With its well-maintained authentic interiors, the site offers a unique glimpse into the secretive and complex world of combined operations, as pioneered in this building by the Royal Navy, the British Army, and Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

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