Main Guard (Valletta)

This article is about the Main Guard in Valletta, Malta. For the one in Gibraltar, see Main Guard (Gibraltar).
Main Guard

The Main Guard
Former names Guardia della Piazza
General information
Status Intact
Type Guardhouse
Architectural style Neoclassical
Location Valletta, Malta
Coordinates 35°53′57.4″N 14°30′48.4″E / 35.899278°N 14.513444°E / 35.899278; 14.513444
Current tenants Office of the Attorney General
Completed 1603
Renovated 1814 (portico added)
Technical details
Material Limestone
Design and construction
Architect Giorgio Pullicino (attributed)[1]

The Main Guard, originally called the Guardia della Piazza, is a building in Valletta, Malta. It was originally built as a guardhouse in 1603 by the Order of St. John. It is located in the square facing the Grandmaster's Palace in the city centre. It currently houses the Office of the Attorney General.

History

The Main Guard building was built in 1603 to house the Regimento di Guardia, the personal guards of the Grand Master of the Order of St. John. It was built in the square facing the Grandmaster's Palace.[2]

The British coat of arms and inscription above the portico

In 1814, a neoclassical portico was added to the Main Guard by the British.[3] A relief of the British coat of arms was added above the portico, with the following insignia below it:[2]

MAGNÆ ET INVICTÆ BRITANNIAE
MELITENSIUM AMOR ET EUROPAE VOX
HAS INSULAS CONFIRMAT A.D. 1814

The British continued to use the building to house the guards of the Governor of Malta, who resided in the Grandmaster's Palace. Life in the Main Guard was quite boring, and many soldiers painted or carved regimental badges or other things on the walls of the building.[4]

In 1974, the building was converted into the Libyan Cultural Centre, and the British coat of arms and inscription were covered in hardboard.[4]

In the 1990s, the Libyan Cultural Centre moved elsewhere, and the Main Guard became an annex of the Office of the Attorney General. It still serves this function today, and although there were plans to transfer the Valletta Local Council into the Main Guard, they were never implemented.[5] Din l-Art Ħelwa is offering to restore the building.[4]

Layout

The building's façade has a single floor, but the rear part of the building, which is located in Strait Street, has three floors. This is due to a difference between the levels of the streets.[2]

Further reading

References

  1. ↑ Ellul, Michael. Art and architecture in Malta in the early nineteenth century. p. 14.
  2. 1 2 3 "The Main Guard and the Chancellery - Valletta" (PDF). Maltese Newsletter (62): 12. 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  3. ↑ "Architecture in Malta under the British". culturemalta.org. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 "Products Of boredom". The Malta Independent. 19 April 2009. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  5. ↑ Diacono, Tim (17 July 2015). "Previous government wanted Main Guard for Valletta local council". Malta Today. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
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