|
|
The Palace Armoury
The Palace Armoury is one of the world's greatest arms collections, housed in their original buildings and also ranks amongst the most valuable historic monuments of European culture.
The Knights of St. John were a unique brotherhood of resolute warrior monks. From Malta,their island stronghold, these combatant aristocrats from the noblest houses of Europe, carried out their relentless crusade against the Ottoman Turks. The Palace Armoury is certainly one of the most visible and tangible symbols of the past glories of the Sovereign Hospitalier Miltary Order of Malta.
Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt transferred the Order's arsenal to the palace in 1604. It was the pride of the Order. Apart from being lavishly adorned with impressive arms trophies, it held enough arms to equip thousands of soldiers. It was housed in the magnificent hall at the rear of the building, right above it's present location, which were originally the stables.
|
During the 1850's the British Government intended to remove the collection for safe keeping to London. However, this was never fully undertaken and in 1860 the armoury was officially opened as Malta's first public museum. In 1975, the entire collection was transferred to its present ground floor location to make way for the island's new House of
Representatives.
Although only a fraction of its original splendour, tha Armoury still contains abundant material of Italian, German, French and Spanish origin from the principal arms production centres. Outstanding examples of splendid parade armour by master armourers command pride of place. |