The Grandmaster’s Palace & The State Rooms

The Grandmaster's Palace in Valletta

Dominating Palace Square, the Grandmaster's Palace was one of the first buildings to be built in Valletta – in 1571. The original Palazzo was designed by Gelormu Cassar but successive Grandmasters enlarged and developed the building as they deemed fit to use it as their official residence.

The Grandmaster’s Palazzo always hosted the government in Malta, first the Knights, then under the British it served as the Governor’s Palace, and now it hosts the President’s office as well as the House of Representatives.

The Grandmaster’s Palace & The State Rooms are built around two courtyards, one of which features a statue of Neptune. Inside is the famous Council Chamber, decorated with priceless Gobelins tapestries featuring tropical scenes set in South America, the Caribbean, India and Africa woven in France especially for Grand Master Ramón Perellos y Roccaf. Despite being almost 300 years old, these tapestries are still very well preserved.

The other rooms and passages of the Grand Masters Palazzo are splendidly furnished with artefacts and armour. The Palace armoury is also located here and deserves a visit. The Throne Room or former Hall of the Supreme Council of the Knights deserves special attention with top quality frescoes that show impressions of the Great Siege, while portraits of Grandmasters and other rulers hang in the Hall of Ambassadors. Known also as the Red Room, this hall is decorated in crimson with furniture from Louis XV and a high fresco explaining episodes from the early history of the Order of St. John.