Built by the Knights of St John in the 1570s, the Grand Master’s Palace is the theatre where the Maltese Nation was born. As the first building constructed in the new capital city and later enlarged over the centuries, it became a state within a building. During the British period, it also served as the Governor’s Palace and, in 1921, hosted Malta’s first constitutional parliament. Today, it is the seat of the Office of the President of Malta.

The comprehensive restoration of the Grand Master’s Palace has now been practically completed, marking the most ambitious project ever undertaken by Heritage Malta. The project had a total cost of €40 million, of which €28 million was co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

This large-scale regeneration has transformed the palace into a dynamic, accessible cultural destination. The project included the reinstatement of the Armoury in its original location—the former Parliament Chamber; the restoration of the artworks in the corridors and Uccelliera of the Piano Nobile; and the creation of a new visitor centre housed within the rehabilitated former Casa del Monte and Orangerie. The state rooms, including the areas used by the Office of the President, were also meticulously restored.

Previously, public access was limited to the Armoury (in the former Stables) and five staterooms on the Piano Nobile. Now, over eighty-five percent of the palace’s footprint is open to the public, offering a significantly enhanced visitor experience.

Through this regeneration, the Grand Master’s Palace now offers an immersive and engaging experience within the halls of the building that was the seat of power in Malta over the past 500 years, presented as a historic house based on the original blueprint of a baroque palace.