San Anton Palace
Encyclopedia
San Anton Palace is a palace located in Attard
, Malta
. It is the official residence of the President of Malta
, and is surrounded by both private and public gardens.
, to serve as a summer residence for Grand Master Antoine de Paule. During the British rule over Malta
it was the Governor's official residence, while Verdala Palace
, in the Buskett
limits of Rabat
, was the Governor's summer residence.
s, ornamental ponds, families of ducks and swan
s, and a small aviary
. They contain a large variety of trees and flowers from around the world, including a variety of palm
trees, cypress
, jacaranda
s, araucaria
s and other exotic plants, some of them over three centuries old. For many years it has been customary for visiting Heads of State to plant a tree in memory of their stay in Malta
. The gardens also contain an orangery
, and it was once the practice of incumbent Governors to give baskets of oranges grown in the palace gardens as gifts at Christmas time.
stayed at this palace during her visit in Malta, just as she did in previous Royal visits, both in her capacity as Head of the Commonwealth of Nations
and, in 1954 and 1967 while she was still Queen of Malta
. Malta became a republic in 1974.
Attard
Ħ'Attard is a village located at the centre-most point of the island of Malta. Together with Balzan and Lija it forms part of "the Three Villages" and has been inhabited since the Classical Period. Ħ'Attard's traditional Latin motto is Florigera rosis halo due to its many flower gardens and citrus...
, Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. It is the official residence of the President of Malta
President of Malta
The President of Malta is the constitutional head of state of Malta.The President is appointed by a resolution of the House of Representatives of Malta for a five year term, taking an oath to "preserve, protect and defend" the Constitution....
, and is surrounded by both private and public gardens.
History
The palace was built between 1623 and 1636, during the rule of the KnightsKnights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
, to serve as a summer residence for Grand Master Antoine de Paule. During the British rule over Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
it was the Governor's official residence, while Verdala Palace
Verdala Palace
The Verdala Palace is the official summer residence of the President of Malta. It was built by Grandmaster Hughues Loubenx de Verdalle in 1586 on the site of a hunting lodge previously owned by Grandmaster Jean de la Valette-Parisot. The palace is known for its surrounding boschetto, which is a...
, in the Buskett
Buskett
Buskett, in Siġġiewi, Malta is one of the few woodland area in Malta and is overlooked by Verdala Palace.The Buskett Gardens are located in the fertile valley of Wied Il- Luq, Siġġiewi. They are located to the south of Rabat and just east of Dingli...
limits of Rabat
Rabat, Malta
Rabat is a village just outside Mdina, Malta. The name of the village is derived from the Arabic word for 'suburb': الرباط, as it was the suburb of the old capital Mdina. Half of the present-day village core also formed part of the Roman city of Melita, before the latter was resized during the...
, was the Governor's summer residence.
Gardens
The public gardens of San Anton, open to the public since 1882, are laid out in a formal manner, with graceful walkways, sculptureSculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
s, ornamental ponds, families of ducks and swan
Swan
Swans, genus Cygnus, are birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Sometimes, they are considered a distinct subfamily, Cygninae...
s, and a small aviary
Aviary
An aviary is a large enclosure for confining birds. Unlike cages, aviaries allow birds a larger living space where they can fly; hence, aviaries are also sometimes known as flight cages...
. They contain a large variety of trees and flowers from around the world, including a variety of palm
Arecaceae
Arecaceae or Palmae , are a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates...
trees, cypress
Cupressus
The genus Cupressus is one of several genera within the family Cupressaceae that have the common name cypress; for the others, see cypress. It is considered a polyphyletic group...
, jacaranda
Jacaranda
Jacaranda is a genus of 49 species of flowering plants in the family Bignoniaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of South America , Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. It is also found in Asia, especially in Nepal...
s, araucaria
Araucaria
Araucaria is a genus of evergreen coniferous trees in the family Araucariaceae. There are 19 extant species in the genus, with a highly disjunct distribution in New Caledonia , Norfolk Island, eastern Australia, New Guinea, Argentina, Chile, and southern Brazil.-Description:Araucaria are mainly...
s and other exotic plants, some of them over three centuries old. For many years it has been customary for visiting Heads of State to plant a tree in memory of their stay in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. The gardens also contain an orangery
Orangery
An orangery was a building in the grounds of fashionable residences from the 17th to the 19th centuries and given a classicising architectural form. The orangery was similar to a greenhouse or conservatory...
, and it was once the practice of incumbent Governors to give baskets of oranges grown in the palace gardens as gifts at Christmas time.
Culture
A number of significant annual events are held at San Anton Gardens, including the Malta Horticultural Show, and open-air theatre, dance and musical performances.Recent events
In 2005, Queen Elizabeth IIElizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
stayed at this palace during her visit in Malta, just as she did in previous Royal visits, both in her capacity as Head of the Commonwealth of Nations
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
and, in 1954 and 1967 while she was still Queen of Malta
Queen of Malta
This title of Queen of Malta was held by Elizabeth II between September 21, 1964 and December 13, 1974, following Malta's independence from the United Kingdom....
. Malta became a republic in 1974.