- Address
Main Gate Street, Birgu 1023, Vittoriosa, Malta - Web
https://heritagemalta.mt/explore/the-inquisitors-palace/ - Visiting Hours
Monday and Wednesday closed. The rest of the week from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm - What to see
Castellania Courtyard, Grand Staircase, Inquisitorial Tribunal
The Palace of the Inquisition in Birgu, Malta, built around the 1530s, is a national historical and ethnographic museum that also served as the seat of the Holy Inquisition for more than 224 years. Initially, the structure housed the Magna Curia Castellania Melitensis, a civil court established in 1543 by Grand Master John de Homedes y Coscon, until it was moved to newly built Valletta in 1572. Later named the Palazzo del Sant’ Officio, it served as the official residence and seat of the inquisitors, who performed judicial and diplomatic roles on behalf of the Vatican.
Over the centuries, the Palace underwent significant architectural transformations, serving various purposes after the abolition of the Inquisition in 1798. Today, the Palace of the Inquisition offers a museum experience divided into three sections, highlighting both its domestic function and judicial center, with an emphasis on educational events and outreach programs. The structure, originally part of the Castellania, has been preserved by Heritage Malta as a testament to Malta’s political and social history in the early modern era.
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