Archbishop's Palace, Valletta

The Archbishop's Palace or Archiepiscopal Palace (Maltese: Il-Palazz tal-Arċisqof), known prior to 1944 as the Bishop's Palace (Maltese: Il-Palazz tal-Isqof),[lower-alpha 1] is a palatial building in Valletta, Malta which is a residence of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Malta. It was constructed in the 17th century.

Archbishop's Palace
Il-Palazz tal-Arċisqof
Façade of the Archbishop's Palace in 2019
Former namesBishop's Palace
General information
StatusIntact
TypePalace
LocationValletta, Malta
Coordinates35°54′02.2″N 14°30′46.5″E
Construction started1622
Completed1631
Renovated1730
20th century
Cost12,000 scudi
ClientBaldassare Cagliares
OwnerArchdiocese of Malta
Technical details
MaterialLimestone
Design and construction
Architect(s)Tommaso Dingli
Renovating team
Architect(s)Vincenzo Bonello

History

The palace was purpose-built as a residence for Baldassare Cagliares, the first Maltese-born Bishop of Malta,[2] between 1622 and 1631.[3][lower-alpha 2] It was designed by the architect Tommaso Dingli.[5] The building's construction was controversial, as the Order of St. John which at the time ruled Malta regarded Cagliares' plans to move the Bishop's seat to Valletta as impinging upon their jurisdiction over the city.[5]

Nevertheless, the building was mostly completed and the Diocese of Malta's administrative seat and Bishop's residence moved to Valletta by the mid-1630s.[2][6] The cost of construction up to 1631 amounted to 12,000 scudi.[5] Apart from administrative and residential functions, the palace was also a venue for greeting dignitaries[4] and it housed the archdiocese's archives (Archivum Archiepiscopalis Melitensis, AAM).[6]

In 1730, the building was altered with the addition of a loggia and other amenities at the expense of Bishop Paul Alphéran de Bussan. Due to a dispute between the Diocese and the Order, the palace's first storey was left unfinished until the 20th century, when it was completed during the episcopate of Archbishop Mikiel Gonzi.[5] The latter works were undertaken by architect Vincenzo Bonello.[7]

In the late 1970s, the Curia moved from the palace to premises in Floriana, and the AAM were likewise moved accordingly.[6] Gonzi was the last Archbishop who actually lived in the palace,[3] but today the building is still in use by the Archdiocese, housing its Judicial Tribunal.[4]

The building and its collections underwent restoration work which was funded by the Archdiocese in 2019,[4] and it is sometimes open to the public on special occasions.[3][8][9][7]

Description

The palace includes an oratory dedicated to Saint Joseph.[5] It also has underground water cisterns, a natural spring and a garden, with the latter being the largest residential garden in Valletta, containing citrus trees and a 17th-century fountain.[8][4]

The palace contains a collection of paintings and sculptures, including a portrait of Alphéran de Bussan by Francesco Zahra.[9]

See also

Notes
  1. Malta was a Diocese headed by a Bishop prior to being elevated to an Archdiocese headed by an Archbishop by Pope Pius XII on 1 January 1944.[1]
  2. One source states that the building dates back to the 1640s.[4]

References
  1. Doublet, Nicholas Joseph (29 March 2015). "First solemn entry of the Archbishop of Malta into Mdina Cathedral in 1944". Times of Malta. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022.
  2. "Apostolic Journey of His Holiness Pope Francis to Malta 2–3 April 2022" (PDF). Archdiocese of Malta. 2022. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 September 2022.
  3. "The Archbishop's Palace open to visitors during Notte Bianca". Archdiocese of Malta. 5 October 2017. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022.
  4. Borg, Coryse (15 March 2019). "Restoration project giving some TLC to Archbishop's Palace". Newsbook.com.mt. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022.
  5. Denaro, Victor F. (1961). "More houses in Valletta" (PDF). Melita Historica. 3 (2): 5–6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 March 2016.
  6. Bezzina, Joseph. "The Four Foremost Ecclesiastical Archives of Malta" (PDF). archivaecclesiae.org. pp. 81–103. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 June 2022.
  7. "The Archbishop's Palace opens its doors for Notte Bianca". Archdiocese of Malta. 28 September 2019. Archived from the original on 9 March 2022.
  8. "The Archbishop's Palace open to visitors during the Valletta Green Festival". Archdiocese of Malta. 5 May 2018. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022.
  9. "New attraction at the Archbishop's Palace for Notte Bianca 2018". Archdiocese of Malta. 5 October 2018. Archived from the original on 9 March 2022.
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