Auberge de Castille | Valletta, Malta

Visit Malta said:

The Auberge de Castille was the official seat of the Knights of the Langue of Castille, Leon and Portugal. The auberges, or inns of the Order, were intended mainly as the residences of Knights who did not have a home of their own in Malta, and for the reception of persons of distinction who, in their travels, found themselves in Malta and in need of hospitality. The Langue of Castille was one of the most powerful of the Order, and its Head was the Grand Chancellor. A nearby church, dedicated to St James, was the Langue's church. It is situated at the top of the highest point of Valletta and originally looked on a wide open space and on the rolling country beyond, giving it a unique beauty unsurpassed by any other building in the city. The original Auberge was built by the renowned Maltese architect Girolamo Cassar in 1574. It was extensively re-modelled and virtually rebuilt by another Maltese architect, Andrea Belli, in 1741. The building is the finest work of eighteenth century baroque architecture in Valletta. The building was damaged during the siege of the French forces (1799 - 1800) as well as during the Second World War. Following the departure of the Knights of St. John, the Auberge de Castille served as the headquarters of the French occupation forces between 1798 and 1800, and as British Army Headquarters after 1800. It became the Office of the Prime Minister in 1972.

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