Auberge d'Aragon
Auberge in Valletta, Malta / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Auberge d'Aragon (Maltese: Berġa ta' Aragona) is an auberge in Valletta, Malta. It was built in 1571 to house knights of the Order of Saint John from the langue of Aragon, Navarre and Catalonia. It is the only surviving auberge in Valletta which retains its original Mannerist design by the architect Girolamo Cassar.[lower-alpha 1]
Auberge d'Aragon | |
---|---|
Berġa ta' Aragona | |
Former names | Gibraltar House |
General information | |
Status | Intact |
Type | Auberge |
Architectural style | Mannerist (with neoclassical portico) |
Location | Valletta, Malta |
Coordinates | 35°54′3.7″N 14°30′45.1″E |
Current tenants | Ministry for European Affairs and Equality |
Construction started | 1571 |
Renovated | c. 1840s (portico added) |
Owner | Government of Malta |
Technical details | |
Material | Limestone |
Floor count | 1 |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | Girolamo Cassar |
In the early 19th century, the building was requisitioned by the British military, and in 1842 it was leased to Bishop George Tomlinson, being renamed Gibraltar House. At this point, a neoclassical portico was added to the façade, by then the major addition to the exterior since the 16th century. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the auberge was also used as a printing press and a school. It was converted in a hospital during World War II.
It housed the Office of the Prime Minister in 1921–33 and 1947–72. It has since housed various government ministries. Since 2020 it houses the Ministry for Justice.[3]