Verdala Palace

The Verdala Palace in Buskett is a beautiful piece of architecture and is the official summer residence of the President of Malta

It was commissioned by Grandmaster de Verdalle in 1586, on a site surrounding the woodland of Buskett, which the Knights used for game hunting, and from where there was a stunning view of most of the Maltese archipelago. It was expanded into the palace 30 or so years later. Additional building work was added in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The design of the three-storey castle is credited to Gerolamo Cassar and construction began in 1586. Initially, all the castle’s stone was quarried from the site and the excavations formed the existing dry moat. The castle is a quadrangular structure with an elegant turret at each angle. It is built in such a way that the sun shines on it at all hours during daytime. From the rooftop one can enjoy an extensive view of the island.

The ceiling above the ground floor is by Paladini, whose frescoes show the highlights of de Verdalle’s illustrious life. The nearby beautiful oval staircase has very broad and shallow steps. In the adjoining hall are two chessboards carved into the stone floor. The bastioned towers are divided into passages, bare little cells and torture chambers.

During the French rule, the palace served as a military prison, holding French soldiers captured by the Maltese or British during the French Blockade of 1798-1800. It was used as a silk factory under British rule but in the early 1800s it fell into disrepair.

Verdala Palace was then restored by Sir William Reid in 1858 and it served for a short time as a temporary minor hospital and the official summer residence of the British governors.

Verdala Palace has been the official summer residence of the President of Malta since 1987. It is generally closed off to the public except for particular special occasions, restoration projects, tours and events, most notable of which is the Annual Ball of the August Moon, in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund.