Stand in front of the Auberge de Castille and you notice the scale before the detail. The facade is broad, carved and heavy with ornament, and the building sits on the high ground of Valletta as if it had chosen the spot on purpose. Behind it lies one of the longer stories in Malta’s recent history.
A Baroque palace on the highest ground
The Auberge de Castille is considered one of the most beautiful Baroque buildings in Valletta. It stands on the highest point of the city, and from the building’s surroundings you get a wide view over Floriana and the Grand Harbour. That position made it a natural place for an important institution, and it still is: today the auberge houses the Office of the Prime Minister of Malta.
Because it is a working government building, the interior is not part of the standard visitor circuit. The pleasure is in walking around the outside, studying the carved stonework and looking at how the facade fits the square in front.
Why an auberge?
The Knights Hospitaller had a habit of building separate auberges for each nationality or language within the Order, and the Auberge de Castille was built for the knights of the Langue of Castille, Leon and Portugal. In modern terms these correspond to Spanish and Portuguese speakers. This group was one of the most powerful in the Order of St John, and the building’s prominent position reflects that standing.
Girolamo Cassar, the respected Maltese architect, designed the original auberge in 1574. At that stage it was built in the Mannerist style, which uses unexpected elements within a generally ordinary design. It had a single storey and a plain facade, divided by panelled pilasters into eleven parts.
The Baroque makeover
The building you see now is mostly the work of the 1740s, when Grand Master Manuel Pinto da Fonseca had it completely redesigned in the Baroque style. The result is a two-storey rectangular building around a courtyard, with richly decorated facades. Domenico Cachia led the construction. In 1791 further small alterations followed, including an enlargement of the main door.
The facade rewards slow looking. Sculptural decoration, window frames and the central entrance all show the energy of the Baroque, and the pale limestone takes on a warm tone in late afternoon light. Compared with the plain first design, the later version is a statement of confidence.
Many uses over the centuries
After the Order of St John was expelled from the island as a result of the French occupation in 1798, the auberge became the headquarters of the French military forces. A National Property Commission later set up there. In 1805, when the British arrived, it became a headquarters again, this time for the British military, and later served as a residence for officers. At one point it even housed the disabled army of Egypt.
Other chapters followed: a Protestant chapel was established in a first-floor room in 1840, and a signalling station on the roof in 1889 allowed communication with the warships moored in the Grand Harbour. The station was removed after reconstruction of the damage of the Second World War. The building then served as headquarters of the military forces for Malta and Libya and later Cyprus. In 1972 it became the office of the Prime Minister, which it still is. A restoration between 2009 and 2014 returned its appearance to good condition.
Seeing it well
Plan your visit for the morning or the late afternoon, when the light sits low on the stone and the square in front is calmer. Wear comfortable shoes, because Valletta’s streets rise and fall, and carry water in summer.
From the auberge, a short walk brings you to the Monument to Jean de Valette, the site of the former Royal Opera House and the Church of St Catherine of Italy. Combine them into a walk through the upper city before heading down toward the harbour for lunch.
What to look for on the facade
Start at the main door, the one enlarged in 1791, and let your eye travel upward. The line of windows on the upper floor, the framing of the entrance and the rhythm of the pilasters show how the later architects tied the building together after the plain first design. The courtyard behind is not open to visitors, but the building’s rectangular plan around it is part of what gives the front its weight.
The square in front is a good place to stand back. From there the proportions make sense, and the open space lets the stone catch the light. Valletta’s streets are narrow, so this is one of the few places in the city where a facade can be seen whole.
Hot days and quiet hours
In July and August the square has little shade and the limestone throws the heat back. Early morning is the calmest time, before the tour groups arrive, and evening brings softer light and fewer crowds. Winter is mild, though rain can make the paving slippery, so wear shoes with a decent grip.
