Distant view Verdala Palace
Verdala Palace
On this site was a hunting lodge that was built (1557 - 1568) during the reign of grandmaster Jean Parisot de La Valette.
The lodge was built in the Buskett Gardens where the Knights of the Order of St. John hunted game.
The hunting lodge was extended to a palace during the reign of Grandmaster Hughes Loubens de La Verdalle, around 1586.
Because attacks by the Ottomans (Turks) were a reasonable danger, the design by architect Gerolamo Cassar also acquired a reinforced and defensive character. The building is rectangular and has two floors and a five-storey tower at the corners. A ditch has been carved around it and guns were present on the roof. The building looks like a Fort but is an example of Renaissance architecture. The stones that were released to cut the ditch were used to construct the building.
It became the palace of the grandmaster, from which the palace now owes its name.
There are two stories related to this palace:
La Verdala is said to have dominated his staff and for fear of being tortured, many jumped in the canal around the palace to commit suicide. Dark cells have been built in the thick walls, in which prisoners were imprisoned and the remains of a bricklaying victim have been found.
One of the knights in the palace is said to have had a secret relationship with a young woman, a niece of Grandmaster Rohan. In order not to stand out and to be recognizable in the dark, she wore a dark blue robe. UnFortunately, the knight did not like her anymore and the Knight locked her in the room. The trapped young woman was desperate and tried to escape through the window, which killed her.
Now her spirit would still haunt the palace under the name "The Blue Lady".
During the reign of grandmaster Giovanni Paolo Lascaris (1636-1657) and António Manoel de Vilhena (1722 - 1736), the palace was embellished.
During the period of the French blockade (1798-1800) the French soldiers captured by the Maltese or British were imprisoned in the palace.
During the British period it became a silk factory.
The British governor Frederick Cavendish Ponsonby started the restoration by carrying out various repairs.
The British governor Sir William Reid restored the building to its former glory as much as possible around 1850.
The building then became the summer residence of the governors of Malta.
During the Second World War, the artworks of the National Museum were preserved here.
In 1982 the palace was restored and used to receive visiting heads of state. Including, emperors, empress, kings and kings, presidents and dictators.
Since 1987, the palace has been the summer residence of the President of Malta.
Opening hours | Closed to the public |
Closed | Always (there is sometimes an open day) |
Address and street / location can be found on our map, click on Guide in the menu bar and you will get a map with markers. | |
Book: Buy tickets for place of interest. sights, hop on hop off buses, exhibitions, safari, etc or book and tour. | |
This Verdala Palace page is part of “The Malta Magazine”.
This magazine is for every resident and visitor to the country of Malta. But is also educational and for anyone interested in Malta. The Malta Magazine highlights the past and present of specific subjects and/or places of interest with the help of extensive information and photos.
As a tool during your journey of discovery through Malta, you can use our information services free of charge. You can do this in two ways, via our website https://maltaguide.pro or our app depending on your operating system, Google Play or Apple Store. Both give you the same information.
“The Malta magazine” is the best, ultimate and most comprehensive magazine you can get of Malta.
The magazine is growing fast and will soon contain more than 350 interesting topics.
Find and discover interesting sights and discover the many historical secrets of the country Malta. Find all things to do and places of interest in your exploration.
“The Malta magazine” is also convenient whether you are walking, driving a car, or using the hop-on and hop-off bus trip, boat trip, etc.
“The Malta magazine” provides you with general information about the sights, Malta’s beauty, secrets, history and culture, its architecture, fortifications, etcetera and specific information as: what took place here?; When was it built and by whom?; What are the functions of all these.
“The Malta magazine” describes also religious subjects, museums, parks, places of interest, public toilets and much more useful information. Interesting texts set up by local experts and additional informative photos make this app distinctive.
“The Malta magazine” answers many questions and shows in an easy way to navigate way where the sights are located. A great landmap and citymap made specifically for you, is a great tool. You can immediately see where you are and where the sights are.
In this "Malta Magazine" you will find the location, address, opening hours and admission / entrance fee, general additional information and news about the spot.
Everything in “The Malta magazine” is easy to operate, without any knowledge and suitable for young and old.
“The Malta magazine” is free while you normally would pay for a guided tour, you may enjoy navigating through Malta on your own terms.
“The Malta magazine” is constantly maintained about: attractions which are closed due to renovation, changed entrance fees or opening times, etc. This maintenance costs a lot of money. However, it has been decided not to include annoying advertisements. The “The Malta magazine” has no hidden costs.
The skillfielly texts are written by local experts and additional informative photos make “The Malta magazine” information provision distinctive.