Malta Castles

The rich history of Malta that dates back a few thousand years is undoubtedly reflected in the wonderful architecture of very old cities. The knights of the mysterious Order of Malta contributed greatly to this architecture. Most precisely, this knightly legacy is reflected in majestic Maltese castles, strongholds and palaces that can be found practically at every turn when walking along the streets of Valetta, the most popular Maltese city. In the 16th century an entire complex of Baroque castles was constructed there, at first they were to serve as knightly taverns or manor houses for knights who did not have their own house on the island. You could easily deduce from the names of these castles-taverns which countries knights came from. For example, Auberge de Castille was for knights from Portugal, Castile and León; while the Auberge d'Italie was for inhabitants from Italy. The Grandmaster's Palace is very popular among tourists, it used to be a residence of the Grand Master of the Order of Malta, and today this is the Office of the President of Malta. You can also visit the Palace Armoury including a rich collection of medieval armour and weapons.