Verdala Palace sits amid the woodland of Buskett, between Rabat and Siggiewi. It was built in 1586 for Grand Master Hugues Loubenx de Verdalle to a design by the Maltese architect Girolamo Cassar, in the form of a fortified hunting lodge with corner towers and a surrounding ditch.
Over the centuries it served as a summer retreat for the Grand Masters and later for British governors. Today it is one of the official residences of the President of Malta and is used for state functions.
The palace is surrounded by one of the few substantial woodlands on the islands, which makes it a distinctive landmark in Malta's rural interior. It opens to the public only on selected occasions.
