San Anton Palace (part one)

Abstract

Three days after the death of Grandmaster Vasconcellos, Antoine De Paule, Prior of St. Giles, a man of seventy one was elected as his successor. Old age fitted the Knights' policy as it provided more frequent chances of other electors. Paula as he was called by the Maltese gladly disappointed his colleagues as he lived fully up to the age of eighty-five. On March 9th, 1623 De Paule became Grandmaster and found Verdala Castle too inconveniently far away to attend to his hectic business in Valletta and decided to extend his 16th century country Villa in Lija, on his unused land. The original block consisted of the stables and one storey with intercommunicating rooms ungracefully parcelled together, lavished only with the long pencil-looking open corridor viewing the gardens below. Later this section for many years was used as the caretaker's quarters. Today it is completely remodernised befitting international guests.