The Palazzo

In 1531 the Knights of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem (the Maltese Knights) came from Rhodes to Malta. They immediately identified Vittoriosa to be the most strategic point on the island, and decided to build their capital there. The village core, called 'the Collachio', was a restricted area: only the Knights, their guests and servants were allowed to enter and live in the area.

Palazzo Vittoriosa is right in the centre of this 'Collachio' area. It has been determined that the ground floor and the Sala Nobile (the Noble Men's room) have been built between 1531 and 1565. A stone with the engraving '1558' has been discovered during the restoration works.

In recent history Palazzo Vittoriosa housed 4 families at the same time, and was later changed into a social/cultural club and cinema. Many villagers have fond memories of the parties, the dancing lessons and the movies they watched in the palazzo.
The last 30 years the palazzo changed ownership various times but was abandoned and remained empty.

In recent years Vittoriosa was rediscovered as one of Malta's unpolished gems, and many restoration projects started. Many have been finished, ranging from great houses, churches, museums and restaurants to a state of the art super yacht marina. All done with respect for the towns history. That makes Vittoriosa today a very popular place to go for both Maltese and foreign visitors.