Notarial Archives
Notarial archive in Valletta, Malta / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Notarial Archives (Maltese: L-Arkivji Nutarili) is an archive in Valletta, Malta, that contains about 20,000 volumes of contracts, wills and other legal documents from the 15th century to the present day. Its collections are significant both from a legal and historical point of view, and they include Il-Kantilena, the earliest known text in the Maltese language. The Notarial Archives fall within the remit of the Office of the Notary to Government, within the Ministry for Justice, of Malta.
L-Arkivji Nutarili | |
Established | 10 July 1640 (1640-07-10) |
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Location | Valletta, Malta |
Coordinates | 35°53′53.7″N 14°30′30.2″E 35°53′54.0″N 14°30′57.6″E |
Collection size | 20,000 volumes |
Founder | Giovanni Paolo Lascaris |
Website | Office of the Notary to Government and Notarial Archives |
The archives suffered significant damage during World War II when part of the collection was destroyed due to aerial bombardment, and in later decades where the documents suffered slow degradation due to neglect. Since the 2010s, efforts have been made to preserve and digitise the archives, and as of 2019 there is an ongoing project to convert its premises into a conservation hub.