Palazzo Malta

Palazzo Malta, which is sometimes referred to as Palazzo di Malta or Palazzo dell'Ordine di Malta, is the more important of the two headquarters of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, a religious order of the Roman Catholic Church. It is located in Via dei Condotti 68 in Rome, Italy, a few minutes' walk from the Spanish Steps, and has been granted extraterritoriality by the Italian Government and is now the property of the Order.

Context

On June 12, 1798, the French forces under Napoleon Bonaparte captured the city of Valetta, Malta, which was the capital of the Order of Malta. The Order of Malta had been given the island by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor in 1530. [Francois Velde, [http://www.heraldica.org/topics/orders/ordmalta.htm The Sovereign Military Order of Saint-John (a.k.a. Malta)] , Heraldica.org, August 2, 2004. Retrieved August 27, 2007.] Napoleon left the city with a sizeable garrison and a handpicked administration. On September 5, 1800, the British conquered the island from the French forces which had been holding it.Ben Cahoon, [http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Malta_knights.htm Sovereign Military Order of Malta] , WorldStatesmen.org, 2001. Retrieved August 27, 2007.] Malta was made a British colony on March 30, 1814 by the Treaty of Paris. [Guy Stair Sainty, [http://www.chivalricorders.org/orders/smom/maltmod.htm From the loss of Malta to the modern era] ChivalricOrders.org, 2000. Retrieved August 27, 2007.]

Thus, the Order of Malta was left without any territory, and it was effectively disbanded. It was restored, however, in 1834, under the new name "Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta", or simply the Sovereign Military Order of Malta" (SMOM). New headquarters were set up at Palazzo Malta. In 1869, the Palazzo Malta, and the other headquarters of the Order, Villa Malta, were granted extraterritoriality by Italy. Today they are recognised by more than 100 countries [The Order's official website lists them [http://www.orderofmalta.org/attdiplomatica.asp?idlingua=5 in this table] .] as the independent headquarters of a sovereign entity, with mutual diplomatic relations established.

History

Antonio Bosio, the famed Italian archeologist whose father was the representative of the Order of Malta to the Holy See, bought a building on what was then the Via Trinitatis which become Palazzo Malta; when he died in 1629, he bequeathed the building to the Order of Malta. Until 1834, the building was used as the home of the ambassador of the Order to the Holy See. From 1889 to 1894, the building was renovated and restructured, with the original characteristics of the building being retained for the most part. [http://www.shoppinginitaly.it/vcond4.htm Via Condotti, Northern Side] , ShoppingInItaly.it, 1997. Retrieved August 27, 2007.]

The Palazzo

Since 11 March 2008, His Most Eminent Highness Fra' Matthew Festing became 79th Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta, who resides in Palazzo Malta, as well as the majority of governmental and administrative duties are carried out there also.

The building itself is made of ashlar blocks, and it is crowned with a corbelled cornice.

References