- Address: Valletta, Malta
- Phone: 35621249349
- Architect: Niccolo Nazoni
The Palace of the Grand Master in Malta , located in the capital of the island of Valletta , is the official meeting place of the parliament and the residence of the president of the country. In Maltese, the name of the palace sounds like Palazz tal-Gran Mastru, or simply il-Palazz.
Historical reference
So, what is this palace and why, being in Malta, is it worth visiting? Firstly, the grand master's palace was built in the distant 1569, and in 1575 on the site of the old wooden building appeared a stone built on the project of the local architect Gerolamo Cassar. The Italian Laparelli, who designed Valletta, completed the work. In the palace at that time were wooden ceilings, which was considered in this area a huge rarity. Later, in 1724, the interior painting of the premises was carried out by Nicolae Nizoni.
The palace was home to 21 great masters throughout the entire era of its existence. During the French occupation, the building was partially destroyed, but already in the nineteenth century it was restored by the British. The palace of the Grand Master became the president's residence in 1976.
What to see?
There are many things that are interesting for the curious eyes of the tourist. One of the most interesting museums in Malta has a large collection of weapons and ammunition: knight helmets, pistols, crossbows, in general, all kinds of military utensils of different eras and armies.
The rooms of the palace are worthy of special attention, because here are truly royal beauty and luxury. The ceilings and walls are decorated with magnificent frescoes, in the rooms there are majestic knight mannequins, and on the floor - a skilfully laid out mosaic. All interior decoration of the palace delivers real aesthetic pleasure. We recommend you to look into the inner courtyard, decorated with a fountain, called the courtyard of Neptune.
Outside, the palace of the great master looks quite ascetic: imprinting a modest style of the XVI century. The palace was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Interesting Facts
- if you are lucky, you will find a change of guard at the palace gate. This spectacle invariably evokes the interest of tourists;
- in the summer time in the museum rooms it is quite stuffy and hot - take a fan with you;
- Audioguide, which will be handed to you at the entrance, briefly tell about the exhibits in English;
- the cost of the entrance varies from 10 to 15 euros;
- in summer there are a lot of tourists in the museum, but this does not cause any discomfort, since the streams are organized correctly so that there are no queues and pandemoniums.
How to find?
The Grand Master's Palace is located in the heart of the Valletta fortress. Its north-western facade looks directly at the palace square, and the central western part faces the street of the Republic. The transport system of Malta is well developed, therefore it is easy to get to the palace by bus number 133, stop Nawfragju.
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