Architecture & Design

Architecture & Design | 27 F or a Palace built at the same time as Valletta, surprisingly little was known about the 400- year history of Palazzo de La Salle – until recently. "When I joined the Malta Society of Arts eight years ago, the huge gap in the Palace's recorded history was taken for granted," recalls the MSA President, Architect Adrian Mamo. "When the Society's centenary at the Palace approached, we decided it was high time to establish its origins and explore its rich and varied past." The MSA commissioned extensive studies into the history of the Palace, carried out by experts in their respective fields including writers, researchers, academics and photographers. The research team delved into the vast collection of documents archived in the building itself, as well as the Notarial archives, the government drawing office and other sources. The studies built upon the scattered pre-existing knowledge, while revealing some surprises. Established in the late 16th century, the Palazzo's following 300 years saw it used as a private residence for families related to the Grandmasters of the Knights of the Order of St John: Valletta's original architects. These early residents included the brothers Enrico and Guglielmo de La Salle, after whom the Palace is named. "We discovered that the Palace underwent a lavish embellishment around 1732 – a prolific year for architecture and art in Malta, with many other buildings and artworks produced around that time," Mamo explains. "The La Salle brothers added the most ornate room in the Palace, which had previously been an open terrace overlooking the sea." The Palace also features one of the earliest known private chapels in Valletta, with a decorated altar surround dated to the 17th century and a top frieze from the 18th century. Most significantly, the studies concluded that Palazzo de La Salle originally consisted of two separate buildings joined together, as indicated by a thick wall in the centre of the property and the presence of two courtyards. In 1923 – exactly 100 years ago – the newly formed Maltese government gave the Palace to the Malta Society of Arts, so that the Society could continue to fulfil its mission of promoting the arts on the island. "Palazzo de La Salle was the greatest gift anyone could have given to the Society," Mamo goes on. "The MSA was formed PALAZZO DE LA SALLE: HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE, MODERN ART T o c e l e b r a t e i t s c e n t e n a r y a t P a l a z z o d e L a S a l l e , t h e M a l t a S o c i e t y o f A r t s c o m m i s s i o n e d s t u d i e s t o d i s c o v e r t h e o r i g i n s o f t h i s i m p o r t a n t h e r i t a g e b u i l d i n g . L a u r a B o n n i c i s p e a k s w i t h M S A P r e s i d e n t A d r i a n M a m o , t o f i n d o u t m o r e

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