Verdala Palace
Encyclopedia
The Verdala Palace is the official summer residence of the President of Malta
. It was built by Grandmaster Hughues Loubenx de Verdalle in 1586 on the site of a hunting lodge previously owned by Grandmaster Jean de la Valette-Parisot. The palace is known for its surrounding boschetto
, which is a large semi-landscaped area that was used by the Knights of Malta for game hunting. The palace was embellished over the years by Grandmaster Jean de Lascaris-Castellar and Grandmaster Manoel de Vilhena. It is also surrounded by a stone quarried ditch. The building itself is two floors high and has five storey towers at each corner.
During 1800 the palace was used as a military prison by Napoleon and was largely abandoned after the French forces left Malta. Verdala palace was restored by Governor Sir William Reid
by 1858 and was the official summer residency of the Governors of Malta during British rule.
The Verdala palace has been in use as the summer residence of the President of Malta since 1987 and is generally closed to the public except for the Ball of the August moon held every year in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund.
President of Malta
The President of Malta is the constitutional head of state of Malta.The President is appointed by a resolution of the House of Representatives of Malta for a five year term, taking an oath to "preserve, protect and defend" the Constitution....
. It was built by Grandmaster Hughues Loubenx de Verdalle in 1586 on the site of a hunting lodge previously owned by Grandmaster Jean de la Valette-Parisot. The palace is known for its surrounding boschetto
Bosque
Bosque is the name for areas of gallery forest found along the riparian flood plains of stream and river banks in the southwestern United States...
, which is a large semi-landscaped area that was used by the Knights of Malta for game hunting. The palace was embellished over the years by Grandmaster Jean de Lascaris-Castellar and Grandmaster Manoel de Vilhena. It is also surrounded by a stone quarried ditch. The building itself is two floors high and has five storey towers at each corner.
During 1800 the palace was used as a military prison by Napoleon and was largely abandoned after the French forces left Malta. Verdala palace was restored by Governor Sir William Reid
William Reid
William Reid may refer to:*William Allan Reid , British Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Derby 1931–1945*William Arbuckle Reid, British educator, curriculum theorist, and philosophical disciple of Joseph Schwab...
by 1858 and was the official summer residency of the Governors of Malta during British rule.
The Verdala palace has been in use as the summer residence of the President of Malta since 1987 and is generally closed to the public except for the Ball of the August moon held every year in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund.