Malta Inquisitor’s Palace

The Inquisitor's Palace in Birgu allows you to experience Malta during the times of the inquisition

The Inquisitor’s Palace is located in the beautiful and historic town of Birgu (Vittoriosa) in one of the small, narrow and winding streets. While on your holiday in Malta, visiting this palace is highly recommended since it’s the only Inquisitor’s Place open to the public in the whole world. This palace was erected in the 1530’s and it is one of the few remaining examples as many similar palaces simply gave in to time or were destroyed during the French Revolution.

Mgr Pietro Dusina was the first general inquisitor who resided in this palace back in 1574. Both Mgr Pietro Dusina and the inquisitors after him strived to transform the palace into a typical and beautiful Roman palace. Over the years, the palace was used as a hospital, mess house and a refugee camp.

The Inquisitor’s Palace in Birgu is now also home to the museum of Ethnography which has an interesting and rare collection on display focusing on the urban religious culture in Malta and religious values hidden in Maltese identity and culture to the present day.

The museum focuses on the impact of the inquisition on the Maltese society through the centuries. The Inquisitor’s Palace also has a lovely central courtyard on the ground floor, prison cells, waiting room, audience hall and several other beautiful and interesting rooms, several of them already restored that can be visited.