The Palace of the Grand Masters, currently known as the Presidential Palace, was uillt in the late 16th century to the design of the Maltese architect Girolmo Cassar.
It stands in the centre of Valletta, Malta's capital city, named after Grand Master La Valette, the hero of the Great Siege of 1565.From its early humble begininnigs, the Palace of the
Grand Masters evolved into a magnificent edifice fit for royalty, compatible with the Order of St.John's prestige and reputatuibn as a generous patron of the arts and culture in all their highest forms of sophistication.
The order was concerned not only with the embellishment of the Palace but also with enhancing its status with munificent donations and refined tastes.
Successive Grand Masters rendered the Palace a centre of power and culture. Its halls and corridors mirror the way of life of its cultured patrons as we visit, through virtual tours and images, the exquisite tapestries
, impressive frescoes and paintings, period furniture and rich furnishings executed by reputable European artists.
Today, the Palace continues to serve as a vibrant centre of political and administrative activity since it houses the Office of the President, the House of Representatives and several important Government offices. |
