Grandmasters Palace and Armoury

The Grandmaster’s Palace in Saint George’s Square is now the President’s Office in Valletta. Formerly it served as the Governor of Malta’s Valletta office as well as the Parliament building. It was badly bombed during the Second World War. It also housed the Malta Legislative Assembly and at one time was the Prime Minister’s office.It was designed by Glormu Cassar and was originally the Auberge d’ Italy. The exterior walls of the Palace contain a number of plaques, including a commemorative plaque of King George VI awarding the island the George Cross in 1943. Two guards guard the entrance and change at intervals.Part of the palace is open to the public as a museum. This includes the Armoury which houses a collection of 6,000 spears, swords and shields, amongst other weaponry used in the days of the Knights. The Palace houses a Throne Room, formerly the Supreme Council Hall, known as the Hall of Saint Michael and Saint George during the British Administration. Here the President of Malta holds state functions.