Former names Guardia della Piazza Completed 1603 | Status Intact Opened 1603 | |
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Current tenants Office of the Attorney General Similar St George’s Square, Banca Giuratale, Casa del Commun Tesoro, Church of Our Lady of Pilar - Vall, Hostel de Verdelin | ||
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.
Contents
Map of Main Guard Building, Strait St, Valletta, Malta
MAGNÆ ET INVICTÆ BRITANNIAE
MELITENSIUM AMOR ET EUROPAE VOX
HAS INSULAS CONFIRMAT A.D. 1814
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.
In 1814, a neoclassical portico was added to the Main Guard by the British. A relief of the British coat of arms was added above the portico, with the following insignia below it:
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.
In 1974, the building was converted into the Libyan Cultural Centre, and the British coat of arms and inscription were covered in hardboard.
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. Din l-Art Ħelwa is offering to restore the building.
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.