Noble Palazzo's

Palazzo Francia, Lija - GRADE 1

This Palace was constructed prior to 1757, which was probably inspired by Villa Palagonia, Bagheria in Sicily and was built at such a cost that the owners went bankrupt. The Palace is also known as Villa Preziosi and was transferred from private ownership to Government ownership in 1992. The current use of this Palace is to host dignitaries.

The Palace is surrounded by extensive grounds, some of which are still cultivated for agricultural purposes and are leased to third parties. A belvedere was built at the furthest end of this garden and to the north-west of the palace. Formal gardens are laid out at the front and also on the rear of the palace itself. The rear garden also contains a fountain and a nymphaeum at the far end, adjacent to which is a beast-driven water lifting machinery built in timber (sienja tal-miexi), which is still in a reasonable condition and practically complete. The complex also contains a number of water reservoirs. see also ...........

Palazzo Parisio, Naxxar - GRADE 1

This Palace was built in 1733 by Grand Master Antonio Manuel de Vilhena and was later used a stately home by the noble family Scicluna. The Palace has a varied history since it housed different uses. It originally started out as a summer residence and was later used as a barracks by the French Napoleonic troops during their sojourn in Malta , later still as a Jesuit noviciate and college and subsequently used as the stately home of Marquis Giuseppe Scicluna, whose family still owns the Palace. The Palace was decorated by Italian decorators and is cited as being "unique in Malta for its sheer opulence". The palace also contains extensive gardens, parts of which have been re-developed as the Trade Fair Grounds. An elevated walkway leads through an ornate Baroque gate to a belvedere that is over 170 metres away. The belvedere was demolished to make space for pavilions of the Trade Fair grounds.

Palazzo Curmi, Zejtun - GRADE 1

This Palace was built in the 18th century. The single storey façade is composed of a large main doorway crowned with a balcony resting on four heavy corbels. Two large windows flank the main entrance while to the west of the doorway is another door leading to the servants' quarters. The rear elevation of the building leads to a patio. From here one can access the main garden through an ornate gate and steps which lead to a central passageway, flanked by stone benches, and which terminates in a belvedere at the far end of the garden.

The property is a typical stately townhouse of the 18th century, examples of which are not very common. Despite that the Palace and its gardens were separated from the servants' quarters some decades ago the latter have remained virtually intact, and therefore this complex retains its original form and its fabric is still in good condition.

Rural Structure, Zurrieq - GRADE 1

This vernacular building comprises of three rooms on top of each other. The 'tower' originally included a stone coat-of-arms (now defaced) on its principal facade - the side overlooking Triq Alexander. An incised date over one of the lintels reads '1765'. A number of 18th century graffiti depicting galleons of the Order of St. John, and probably an enemy galleon, and other historic graffiti including an inscription (largely illegible due to growth of algae), are incised on the exterior of the 'tower'.

The locals refer to the 'tower' structure as a barumbara pertaining to Xandru D'Amato, an important local personality who was one of the leaders of the Zurrieq Maltese insurgents against the French Napoleonic troops involved in 1799 uprising.

Ta' Baldu, Rabat - Grade 2 (Rural buildings) and Class B (archaeology)

The area known as Ta' Baldu contains various remains of archaeological, rural, historical and contextual importance. (The site is characterized by two oblong farmhouses possibly dating to the 17th century.) Both farmhouses are typical of vernacular architecture and are found within a rural setting that has until 2004 remained mostly unchanged for the past 300 hundred years. Close to the farmhouses are a number of rubble walls, some of exceptional workmanship and soaring up to 5m in height. In 2004 illegal works were carried without application or permit in one of the farmhouses and, the surrounding fields, (and very old rubble walls of unique quality). These infringements persisted despite the issue of an Emergency Conservation Order (GN. No. 114/04) published in the Government Gazette on 6th February 2004, copies of which were also fixed on site and owner informed. A recent development also included hard landscaping and the creation of small football pitch complete with turf and goal posts.

Within the ridge beneath the farmhouses are a number of differently sized caves. Amongst these a rock-cut chamber believed to have served as a bathing place during the Early-modern period, and another larger cave containing water reservoirs, the date '1629' inscribed on one of the rock walls, a stone table and benches, and a Roman olive crusher (trapetum). The presence of this trapetum implies the existence of a Roman rustic villa in the vicinity. Between 1664 and 1665, a German traveler called Schellinkx described and published an illustration of the afore-mentioned features, which are still extant on site, though their conservation in-situ has now become under threat owing to the ongoing development taking place without any regard to permit requirements and best practice in conservation. The second farmhouse is being restored according to planning permit conditions and approved restoration method statement.

" Roseville ", Triq Sant' Anton, Attard- Grade 2

Roseville is an early 20th century house built as a summer residence by the proprietor Dr. W. Briffa. The house was built in two phases; the ground floor was built in 1912 by architect Alessandro Manara and the first floor was added in 1921 by architect Emanuele Borg in the same architectural grammar of the ground floor.

The Art Nouveau style of this house see here for more info......Roseville

Information taken from MEPA.org.mt