Verdala Palace
| Verdala Palace | |
|---|---|
| Il-Palazz ta' Verdala | |
 Buskett Gardens with Verdala Palace | |
  Location within Malta
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| General information | |
| Status | Official Summer Residence of President of Malta |
| Type | Palace |
| Location | Buskett Gardens |
| Town or city | Dingli |
| Country | Malta |
| Coordinates | 35°52′0″N 14°24′0″E / 35.86667°N 14.40000°E |
| Opening | 1586 |
| Owner | Government of Malta |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Girolamo Cassar |
| Website | |
| Website | |
The Verdala Palace is the official summer residence of the President of Malta. It was built by Grandmaster Hugues Loubenx de Verdalle in 1586 on the site of a hunting lodge previously owned by Grandmaster Jean Parisot de Valette. The palace is known for its surrounding boschetto, which is a large semi-landscaped area that was used by the Knights of Malta for game hunting. The palace was embellished over the years by Grandmaster Giovanni Paolo Lascaris and Grandmaster Manoel de Vilhena. It is also surrounded by a stone quarried ditch. The building itself is two floors high and has five storey towers at each corner.
During 1800 the palace was used as a military prison by Napoleon and was largely abandoned after the French forces left Malta. Verdala palace was restored by Governor Sir William Reid by 1858 and was the official summer residency of the Governors of Malta during British rule.
The Verdala palace has been in use as the summer residence of the President of Malta since 1987 and is generally closed to the public except for the Ball of the August moon held every year in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund. It can be visible from multiple towns in Malta such as Rabat, Siggiewi, Mtarfa and Dingli.
Gallery
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Maltese 1938 postage stamp showing the Verdala Palace
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Ceiling of the dinging room
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Frescos in the Palace
Coordinates: 35°52′N 14°24′E / 35.867°N 14.400°E
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