Grand Master's Palace and Courtyards

In the center of Valletta is Palace Square, with the Grand Master's Palace, built by Gerolamo Cassar between 1568 and 1574. This Renaissance palace with its two entrances on the main front now houses the Maltese Parliament, the residence of the President of Malta and various Government offices.

In Neptune Court, the larger of the two inner courtyards, is a fine bronze figure of the sea god. In the tree-planted Prince Alfred's Court is a clock, installed by the Grand Master, Manuel Pinto de Fonseca (1741-73), on which two figures clad in Moorish costume strike the hours with large hammers. This is an almost square building occupying an entire block and housing Malta's House of Representatives, the Palace Armory, the president's office and notable state rooms. In the past it was the official residence of the grand master and, until 1928, the British governor's residence.

The main entrance is from Palace Square, but there is also a more pleasant entrance, off Republic Square into Prince Alfred's Courtyard, in the corner of which are stairs to the state rooms.

On the Palace Square facade are tablet citations from King George VI and President Roosevelt.

Cassar began work on the Palace in 1571. It includes two inner courtyards.