The Grand Master’s Palace is a government complex in Valletta, Malta which was once home to the island’s rulers. The Grand Master was the leader of the Knights of St John, who controlled the island for many years. The building has been extended and remodelled over the years but has always been the seat of power in Malta. As such, it has always been the centre of political happenings here.
We found the building both beautiful and fascinating! On your visit today you will see stunning palatial rooms and decorated corridors and yet it still has the air of a government building rather than a stately home. The palace was used as the country’s parliament until 2015. Your tour will be self guided, but make sure you pause in the first few rooms as they explain the significance of the building. In one of them, there is an audio visual show which briefly covers the 450 years of history on this site.
There is a one-way system around the palace which includes two separate courtyards. Most rooms you will simply walk through to experience them, but there are others when you will need to pause to get the most out of them. One room you’ll want to spend some time in is the huge armoury. This occupies almost an entire side of the palace and has weapons displayed from all points in history on the island. Most are in glass cases, but we still found it fascinating. The cabinets are packed with swords, guns, knives and crossbows. Our 7-year-old absolutely loved it as it reminded him of the many battle games he plays.
The Grand Master’s Palace is open every day between 10am and 6pm from March to December and between 9am and 5pm in January and February. Adult admission is 12 Euros (2025 prices). On some days the state rooms cannot be visited as they are being used by the Office of the President. Check before you buy your tickets.
GRAND MASTER’S PALACE LOCATION & MAP
Address: Grand Master’s Palace, Palace Square, Valletta, VLT 1191, Malta
Email: info@heritagemalta.org
Phone: +356 212 49349
MORE ON THE GRAND MASTER’S PALACE
Grand Master’s Palace – Official Website
Grand Master’s Palace – Wikipedia
Hotels in Valletta – Booking.com
More Things To Do In Valletta – GetYourGuide
Valletta City Guide – From our sister-site, Free-City-Guides.com