Grand Master's Palace

No building says Valletta quite like the Grand Master's Palace. It fills one side of St George's Square in the middle of the city, a short walk from the main shopping street and the harbour bastions, and for around 450 years it has been a seat of power. Today it is the home of the Office of the President of Malta, and parts of it are open to visitors through Heritage Malta.

It is the most visited site in Heritage Malta's portfolio, with about 300,000 visitors a year, and it is listed with our museums in Malta. To plan a wider day in the capital, see our Valletta guide, and for a base in the city see hotels in Valletta.

From the Knights to the President

The palace was the first building the Knights of St John put up in their new capital, and it grew over the years. Under British rule it became the Governor's Palace, and in 1921 it housed Malta's first constitutional parliament. Our Knights of Malta guide explains the order that built it, and our Three Cities guide covers the harbour towns across the water.

After its restoration, visitors can reach more than 85% of the building's footprint. The highlights include the rediscovered Uccelliera, the corridors of the Piano Nobile and the State Rooms.

A newly restored palace

The restoration project was part-financed through the European Regional Development Fund. It reopened large parts of the building that had long been out of reach to the public, including areas that were once hidden from view, so a visit now feels like a walk through 450 years of history as a centre of power and a symbol of a nation. The palace has been called a state within an edifice, and the phrase fits: it has served as the seat of government, a parliament and a residence under different rulers.

Wandering the Piano Nobile corridors, with their painted ceilings and long perspectives, is a pleasure in itself, quite apart from the rooms that lead off them.

The State Rooms

The restored State Rooms include the Grand Master's Study and Sitting Room, the Throne Room, the Pages' Room and the Ambassadors' Room. The Throne Room is closed to the public until further notice.

The collections include the most complete visual account of the Great Siege of 1565, painted by Matteo Perez d'Aleccio, and Baroque illusionistic ceiling paintings from the late 18th century that echo the pageantry of the great courts of Europe. On some dates the State Rooms close early or all day, and the Armoury stays open, so check the notices before you go.

The Palace Armoury

The Armoury was returned to its original hall, the former Parliament Chamber. Its collection is regarded as one of the best in the world and shows the wealth of the Order of St John. It includes armour worn by Grand Masters Alof de Wignacourt and Jean de Valette, Ottoman armour and weapons, and artillery pieces.

The Palace is also near the Upper Barrakka Gardens and St John's Co-Cathedral, so the three make a natural walking route.

Tickets, access and facilities

Tickets cost €12 for adults aged 18 and over, €10 for youths aged 12 to 17 and €8 for children aged 6 to 11. Infants aged 1 to 5 go free, and Heritage Malta members and passport holders are admitted under their own categories. You can book online. Our Malta weather guide helps you choose a comfortable month, and things to do in Malta shows how a visit fits a longer stay.

Food and drink, a gift shop, indoor and outdoor seating, lockers and nappy changing are available on site, along with fully accessible toilets. Access is partial, since some areas cannot be fully reached by visitors with mobility impairments. Occasionally the Palace closes for state functions, so look at the notices on Heritage Malta's pages before you set out. To ask a question, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message on.