Grandmaster's Palace

The Grandmaster's Palace is a palace in Valletta, Malta, currently housing the House of Representatives of Malta and the office of the President of Malta.

History

The site had been previously occupied by Eustachio del Monte, a nephew of La Valette. The Knights of Malta bought the house and commissioned Gerolamo Cassar to design a palace. In the 18th-century, traveller Patrick Brydone noted that 'the Grand Master (who studies conveniency more than magnificence) is more comfortably and commodiously, lodged than any prince in Europe, the King of Sardenia perhaps only excepted'.

The palace is built around two courtyards, one of which is dominated by a statue of Neptune. There are two entrances in the front and one entrance from Piazza Regina just west of the National Library. The entrance to the state rooms is in the Neptune Courtyard via a spiral staircase. The ceiling of this entrance was painted by Nicolau Nasoni in 1724.

The Armoury, housing one of the finest collections of weapons of the period of the Knights of Malta in all of Europe, runs the width of the back of the palace. Spears, swords, shields, heavy armour and other weapons, including Dragut's sword are on display.

The walls here are hung with stunning Gobelin tapestries, featuring tropical scenes set in South America, the Caribbean, India and Africa. The tapestries were given to the Order by Grand Master Ramon Perellos in 1710 and, though now nearly three centuries old, are well-preserved.

Of all the rooms the most magnificent is the Hall of St Michael and St George, also known as the Throne Room, decorated with a cycle of 12 frescos, vividly portraying the 1565 Siege of Malta. The artist was Matteo Perez d'Aleccio, an engraver and painter who once helped Michelangelo with the Sistine Chapel.

The Hall of the Ambassadors was originally the Grand Master's audience chamber. Known also as the Red Room, this is decorated in crimson with Louis XV furniture and a high frieze recalling episodes from the early history of the Order when it still had bases in Jerusalem, Cyprus and Rhodes.

Leading off the Hall of St Michael and St George, the State Dining Room has magnificent 17th-century chandeliers and portraits of British monarchs, from King George III to Queen Elizabeth II.

The Supreme Council Hall

The big Supreme Council sound owns two entrances of the Entrance Corridor and stretches from the anteroom up to the end of the way. This former chapter hall served the big council of the knighthood as an assembly room and was renamed by the Britons in 1818 on the occasion of the foundation of the order of Saint Michael and Saint George whose members were nominated in the hall in sound of Saint Michael and Saint George.

References

External links

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Alper Has
12 October 2015
Best place to understand the magnificant history of Order of St. John and the Knight's. Dont miss it!!!
Fred
24 February 2019
Good collection in the armoury .. less so for the palace
Enzo Martinelli
19 November 2022
The most historically significant place on the island.
Tara Atkinson
20 August 2010
Armoury excellent and well worth a visit. Look out for the sword-gun! State rooms get very, very crowded when a cruise ship's in town. Nothing really labelled, either.
Magali Patron
3 March 2014
Il manque un audio guide ou des panneau(même en anglais) pour le grand master's Palace;ll faut se contenter de son guide de voyage ou venir en groupe. Pour l'Armoury un audio guide gratuit est fourni.
Blondy Anny
4 September 2014
Прекрасный музей, очень интересная экспозиция рыцарских доспехов и оружия.
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2,124 people have been here
Map
103 Archbishop Street, Valletta VLT 1446, Malta Get directions
Thu 11:00 AM–5:00 PM
Fri-Sun 10:00 AM–5:00 PM
Mon 11:00 AM–5:00 PM
Tue 11:00 AM–7:00 PM

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