08/08/2025
At No. 223 in St. Paul Street, , we find the beautiful, two-floor Palazzino Sapienti - an underrated historic building that dates back to 1582, making it one of the earliest buildings of the capital city of . The palace is situated directly opposite to the old Collegium Melitense (now the University of Malta Valletta Campus) and served as the residence of several notable tenants over the centuries. In the Second World War, it was used by the British Royal Air Force for the decoding of enemy aerial operations, and for this reason was targeted by enemy air raids, surviving two very near bomb misses.
It today serves as the International Headquarters of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller and houses the World Headquarters of the Russian Grand Priory.
HISTORY OF PALAZZINO SAPIENTI
The first records of the history of this Baroque building date to 1629, when Fra Nicolò Sollima, then the Collegium Melitense Rector and a member of an ancient and illustrious Sicilian family, as well as a Knight of St. John of Jerusalem, is recorded as a resident here. However, the palace is antecedent to this date, as it is already clearly identifiable on the various maps of Valletta since 1582. Added to this, an engraving of ‘LA NVOVA CITTA E’ FORTEZZA DI MALTA CHIAMATA VALLETTA’ shows the building already standing in 1582 albeit with a thatched roof. It was built as the residence of the English Grand Prior Sir Richard Shelley.
DID YOU KNOW?
The street dividing the Old University (Collegium) from Palazzino Sapienti was constructed in a convex shape using lava stone, thus allowing rain water to pass on both sides of the street. Channels then diverted the water into wells which were dug under each and every house, flanking the street. The wells themselves were constructed in an overflowing manner, that is if one was full then the excess water passed on to the next.
Stone used for the building of the house was quarried onsite. Once the building was complete, the resultant small quarry was used as a water cistern and basement. This process of cutting stones directly from Monte Sceberras hurried the process of the building of the new city.
WHY IT WAS NEVER BUILT HIGHER THAN TWO STOREYS
Palazzino Sapienti was never intended to be built higher than two floors, and this is for a reason. Had it been built higher, then it would have cast a shadow on the University sundial just opposite.
The sundial on the university wall shows hour lines from 5:00am to 3:00pm, and is dated 13th August 1695. The Latin motto reads:
‘TEMPUS ERIT QUANDO CESSABIT TEMPUS
ERITQUE LUX AETERNA BONIS NOX SINE FINE MALIS’.
Meaning…
‘There will be a time when time will cease,
and there will be eternal light for the righteous and endless darkness for the wicked’.
ARCHITECTURE
The façade of the Palazzino is adorned with seashell carvings on the limestone balcony supports, in the internal court yard and on the main staircase. These symbols represent St. John the Baptist, the patron saint of the Order of St. John. The seashell is also representative of the water element, in this case creativity and knowledge as befits the University Rector’s house.
The main entrance has a barrel vaulted ceiling which was fashionable in the late 16th century. A staircase leads up to the piano nobile were a defaced coat of arms can still be seen.
Flanking the main entrance door one finds two gates leading to Carriage and Sedan storage place, whilst the other side was used for the horses and other beasts. The two windows on the four inch thick gates indicate that a minimum of four horses were kept there.
Barred up doors leading directly from inside the premises to both adjacent spaces are still visible. Inside these warehouses was stored wheat, straw and barley as food fodder for the animals – horses, mules, hens, rabbits, cats and dogs (beasts of burden, animals for human consumption, rat catchers, pets) wood, coal and also served as the servants’ sleeping quarters.
A servants’ service entrance was located at the back of the premises. The beast of burden conveying the goods to the ‘Palazzino Sapienti’ used to be tied to a stone hold which is still visible.
Another relic from the past is the small, narrow and shallow door through which supplies were passed into the kitchen. The kitchen chimney itself is visible and likewise a rain water pipe that passes from the ceiling though the kitchen and ends on the narrow alley just where the servants entry door is located.
The presence of a carved Tudor Rose, found in the main hall (now the Throne Room) and two windows that open onto the courtyard, indicates that the original owner may have been English. Almost certainly we can refer to Knight of Malta Grand Prior of the English langue and Turcopilier Richard Shelley (b.1513-d.1589) who was an informant and trustee of the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I of England on the activities of the Jesuit Order. In return he was allowed to practice freely his Catholic religion in the English domain.
SIGNIFICANCE OF ITS LOCATION
The location of the Headquarters of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller is very significant:
1. Valletta is the capital city of Malta;
2. The street is named after Saint Paul, the Patron Saint of Malta;
3. It is one of the earliest buildings built in Valletta. Built in 1582 as the residence of the English Grand Prior Sir Richard Shelley later formed part of the Collegium complex;
4. It is half way between the Sacra Infermeria (today the Mediterranean Conference Centre) and St. Paul’s Shipwreck Church.
THE 1634 GUNPOWDER MAGAZINE EXPLOSION
On 12th September 1634 a nearby gunpowder magazine blew up with the loss of 33 persons. Some died immediately whilst others succumbed to their injuries days and weeks later. The devastated site was left abandoned for 30 years until Grand Master Nicholas Cottoner established the Fondazione Cottoner which rebuilt the blasted site with houses numbering from 117 to 131 in Strada San Paolo. The Palazzino had suffered some cracks in the walls and had its glass windows shattered and damaged. Some structural changes to the premises took place around this time 1664-1665.
WORLD WAR TWO USE
During the Second World War the premises were used by the British Royal Air Force for the decoding of enemy aerial operations. Palazzino Sapienti survived two very near enemy bomb misses, one obliterated the court yard of the Royal University of Malta, whilst another bomb destroyed and heavily damaged the buildings next to its right – buldings between St. Paul Street and Archbishop Street.
POST WAR
In 1945 King Peter II of Yugoslavia visited the Royal Yugoslavian troops stationed in Malta based on the hulk of the former S.S. Ohio of the Santa Maria convoy fame. It was during this visit that King Peter II entered for the first time in Palazzino Sapienti 223, St.Paul Street, Valletta. Years later he was to establish a fund for the purchase of said premises.
SCHOOL
Between 1945 and 1955 the building was used as a Government elementary school for the Valletta children at the time when the proper school was being rebuilt after being destroyed during the war. The present Government primary school in Valletta occupies the site where during the Order’s rule there was the Convent of St. Magdalene.
INTERESTING ARTIFACTS
The premises house some very interesting artifacts, notably a complete library and medals of the late Professor Donald Harrison Smith and the late Professor John Parr USN.
The building also boasts of three saint reliquaries:
- A first degree bone fragment from the Order’s patron saint St. John the Baptist;
- Two third degree relics: Throne chair on which St. John Paul II sat during one of his Papal visits to Italy and a hand signed dedication by Sister Mother Theresa of Calcutta who was also a member of the Order in 1981.
An excellent Chippendale desk and a multiple of other genuine antique furniture embellish the place. Paintings donated or painted by members of the Order adorn the Throne room.
All the furnishings in the premises are attributed to donations by the following members of the O.S.J.:
- Bailiff Dr.Victor Captur M.D., B.Sc., F.A.C.C., O.S.J (furniture);
- Bailiff Carol.L.Marguerat OSJ, G.C.S.C (swords, silverware etc);
- Bailiff Emeritus Albert Delia OSJ (furniture and pictures);
- Grand Cross of Justice Nicola Di Filippo (paintings);
- Others contributed by giving cash donations whilst others give their time.
DOOR NUMBERS IN MALTA
Door numbers were introduced during the 17th century and made compulsory in Malta during the British Colonial period 1800 to 1964. During the reign of Malta by the Order of St. John (1530-1798) important buildings were known by names (e.g. Casa Rocca Piccola, Palazzo Messina etc). Palaces, theaters, gardens, auberges, prisons, hospitals and churches were constructed by the Knights of Saint John. Commoners employed in Valletta as cooks, cleaners, washers, horse drivers, carriers etc, lived in rooms reserved for the servants when employed by members of the Order, the Catholic Church or the Nobility.
NOTABLE TENANTS
Besides Fra Nicolò Sollima, Palazzino Sapienti was the home of several other major characters including Capitano Antonio Garzin who was very active in Valletta between 1626 and 1650 and was among the benefactors of the parish church of St. Andrew the Apostle in Luqa in 1626 and in 1630 designed the Dominican Priory of Our Lady of the Grotto in Rabat. Capitano Garzin lived in at least three different addresses in Valletta, one of which is Palazzino Sapienti.
After Garzin, another illustrious owner of Palazzino Sapienti was Mgr Onorato Bres, Commander of the Order of St. John, the Apostolic Delegate, head of the Pontifical Province of Frosinone (1821) and author of various essays, among which the most famous is “Malta antica illustrata” published in Rome in 1816.
After the Monsignor, it was the turn of John Austin (1790-1859) Royal Commissioner to Malta and considered by many as the creator of the law school, friend of thinkers such as Jeremy Bentham a British philosopher, jurist and social reformer; Thomas Carlyle, a Scottish historian, essayist, and philosopher; James and John Stuart Mill, father and son, and both of them also Scottish historians, philosophers and economists, John Stuart is also considered one of the greatest exponents of liberalism and utilitarianism.
The predecessor of the Russian Grand Priory was Sir Luigi Camilleri (1892-1989), lawyer, member of the first Legislative Assembly in Malta and President of the Supreme Court.
PALAZZINO SAPIENTI TODAY
Palazzino Sapienti is a beautiful building that open to visitors from Tuesday to Friday between 9:00am and 2:00pm. Architecture, traditions and history are explained in an easy to grasp manner.. No entry fees are charged although donations are welcome and go to charity. Visitors have unanimously recommended visiting this place.
THE ORDER OF ST. JOHN
The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller has its Seat or Centre of Administration at 223 St. Paul Street, Valletta, Malta. The building also is the office of the Russian Grand Priory of Malta. This building was purchased in 1981 with significant contributions from the Priory in Switzerland.
The origins of the present organization on Malta date back to a formal establishment of the Commandery of Malta on February 1, 1963. The Commandery was raised to the status of a Priory of the Order on March 8, 1964 and, on February 22, 1970, it became the Grand Priory of Russia.
Photo Copyright © Kappa Vision / Jean-Paul Borg.
References:
- Vassallo History, vassallomalta .com;
- Chevalier Saviour M.Garcia KJSJ, KLJ, Russian Grand Priory of Malta, russiangrandpriory .wordpress .com;
- National Library of Malta (Matteo Perez d’Allecio 1582);
- Government Gazette of 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900 and 1920 held at Santu Spirtu, Rabat, Malta;
- Manuel Theatre archives held at Santu Spirtu, Rabat, Malta;
- Malta Police Museum, Floriana, Malta;
- Letter written by Onorato Bres to Lt.General Hildebrand Oakes National Library of Malta, 385)
- L’Arte,Vol-III,n.57 (1865) by R.Barbaro. ‘Notizie di alcuni cavalieri Del S.O.Gerosolimitano illustri per lettere e per belle arti p.67 (Napoli 1841);
- ‘Sir Luigi Camilleri, His life and Times’ by Andre’ Zammit;
- Santu Spirtu archives Rabat, Malta;
- President of Malta Profs. Guido De Marco personal documents.
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