Casa del Commun Tesoro

Last updated
Casa del Commun Tesoro
Casino Maltese - Knights Treasury - Valletta Malta.jpeg
247, Republic Street, Valletta [1]
Casa del Commun Tesoro
Former namesGrand Hotel
Alternative names Casino Maltese
General information
StatusIntact
Location Valletta, Malta
Coordinates 35°53′55.3″N14°30′47″E / 35.898694°N 14.51306°E / 35.898694; 14.51306
Current tenantsCasino Maltese
Completedc. 16th–17th centuries
Renovated1914
Technical details
Material Limestone
Floor count2
Renovating team
Architect(s)Nicola Buhagiar and Francesco Sammut

The Casa del Commun Tesoro (Italian for House of the National Treasury), or Casa dei Conti del Tesoro, [2] is a building in Valletta, Malta, located in Republic Square facing the Bibliotheca. It was originally built to house the Treasury of the Order of St. John. Part of the building housed Malta's first post office, and over the years it was also used as government offices, a hotel and a cinema. Since the early 20th century, it has been the premises of a gentlemen's club known as the Casino Maltese .

Contents

History

The original building was most likely designed by Girolamo Cassar. [3] The Casa del Commun Tesoro originally belonged to the Treasury of the Order of St. John, and it housed the Treasury's accounts, contracts and records. [4] It remained housing the treasury until the 19th century.5 [1] Gold and silver bullion were stored at the Conservatoria, located opposite the Casa del Commun Tesoro. This building was demolished in the 1780s to make way for the Bibliotheca. The Treasury was headed by a Grand Commander, who was assisted by two Procurators of the Treasury, a Procurator of the Grand Master, a Conventual Conservator and a Secretary. [5] The latter resided in an apartment within the Casa del Commun Tesoro. [6]

In 1708, Malta's first proper postal service was established, and a room within the Casa del Commun Tesoro became the island's first post office. The building continued to house the Packet Office until around 1841, when it was transferred to the Banca Giuratale. On 1 April 1849, the Island Post Office was also transferred from the Casa del Commun Tesoro to the Banca Giuratale, which later became known as the General Post Office. [7]

In the early 19th century, the British used the building for a number of public offices, including the Chief Secretary's Office, the office of the Collector of Land Revenue and the Government Treasury. [8]

The building in 1846 Calvert Jones, Main Guard building, Valletta, Malta 1846.jpg
The building in 1846

English poet and writer Samuel Taylor Coleridge worked inside the building between 1804 and 1805. A plaque on the façade of the building was attached by Giovanni Bonello in the commemoration of Coleridge. [9] It was converted into a hotel in the late 19th century, known as the Grand Hotel. [10] [11] At one point, part of the building also housed the second cinema to open in Malta, which was called the Grande Cinematografo or the Salinos Cinema. [12] Since the early 20th century, the building has housed the Casino Maltese, a reputed gentlemen's club. [4] The structure was extensively modified in 1914 by the architect Nicola Buhagiar. [6]

In April 1921, Japanese Crown Prince (later Emperor) Hirohito was received at the Casino Maltese, while visiting Malta as part of a six-month tour of Europe. [13] [14] Hirohito presented a vase to the club, and this is still exhibited at the building. [15]

The building was severely damaged by aerial bombardment in World War II. [16] In 1942, the grand stairway was destroyed after a bomb fell in the building's courtyard, but it was later rebuilt. [4] At this point the building was redesigned, with several modifications, by Francesco Sammut. [17]

The building is scheduled as a Grade 1 national monument by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority. [4]

Architecture

The facade of the Casa del Commun Tesoro, with the sundial/calendar Around Valletta, VLT 18.jpg
The façade of the Casa del Commun Tesoro, with the sundial/calendar

The Casa del Commun Tesoro is a large building with two stories. The façade is somewhat plain, and an open balcony runs along most of the first floor. The façade facing Republic Street contains a large sundial and calendar, which is unique in Malta. Its ground floor contains a number of shops, including Caffe Cordina. [18] The interior of the building includes a decorated ceiling, a grand staircase and a central courtyard. [4]

Further reading

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">António Manoel de Vilhena</span> Portuguese nobleman; 66th ruler of Hospitaller Malta (r. 1722–36)

António Manoel de Vilhena was a Portuguese nobleman who was the 66th Prince and Grand Master of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem from 19 June 1722 to his death in 1736. Unlike a number of the other Grand Masters, he was benevolent and popular with the Maltese people. Vilhena is mostly remembered for the founding of Floriana, the construction of Fort Manoel and the Manoel Theatre, and the renovation of the city of Mdina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paola, Malta</span> Local council in South Eastern Region, Malta

Paola is a town in the South Eastern Region of Malta, with 8,706 inhabitants as of 2019. The town is a commercial centre in the Southern Harbour area of Malta, about 5 km from the capital Valletta, contiguous to Tarxien and Fgura, with which it forms a single urban area. Paola is named after Grand Master Antoine de Paule, who laid the foundation stone in 1626.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Castellania (Valletta)</span> Maltese government building

The Castellania, also known as the Castellania Palace, is a former courthouse and prison in Valletta, Malta that currently houses the country's health ministry. It was built by the Order of St. John between 1757 and 1760, on the site of an earlier courthouse which had been built in 1572.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Postage stamps and postal history of Malta</span>

The postal history of Malta began in the early modern period, when pre-adhesive mail was delivered to foreign destinations by privately owned ships for a fee. The earliest known letter from Malta, sent during the rule of the Order of St John, is dated 1532. The first formal postal service on the islands was established by the Order in 1708, with the post office being located at the Casa del Commun Tesoro in Valletta. The first postal markings on mail appeared later on in the 18th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inquisitor's Palace</span> Palace in Birgu, Malta

The Inquisitor's Palace, also known as the Sacred Palace, is a palace in Birgu, Malta. It was the seat of the Maltese Inquisition from 1574 to 1798, under the name Palazzo del Sant'Officio. The building was originally constructed as a courthouse known as the Castellania in the early 16th century, but little remains of the original building due to major alterations and renovations carried out in the subsequent centuries.

This page list topics related to Malta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Republic Square, Valletta</span> Square in Valletta, Malta

Republic Square is a piazza in Valletta, Malta. The square was originally called Piazza Tesoreria or Piazza dei Cavallieri, since the treasury of the Order of Saint John was located in the square. After a statue of Queen Victoria was installed in the square in the 19th century, it became known as Queen's Square or Piazza Regina. Although its official name is Republic Square, it is still commonly referred to as Piazza Regina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Auberge de Castille</span> Auberge in Valletta, Malta

The Auberge de Castille, historically in full known as the Auberge de Castille et Portugal, is an auberge in Valletta, Malta. The auberge is located at Castile Place, close to Saint James Cavalier, the Malta Stock Exchange, and the Upper Barrakka Gardens. It sits at the highest point of Valletta and overlooks Floriana and the Grand Harbour area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Postage stamps and postal history of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta</span>

This is an article about the postage stamps and postal history of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spinola Palace, St Julian's</span> Maltese palace

Spinola Palace, also known as Spinola House and Villa Spinola, is a palace in St. Julian's, Malta. It was built in the 17th century by Fra Paolo Rafel Spinola, a knight of the Order of St. John, and was enlarged in the 18th century. The later construction was designed by Romano Carapecchia, which is considered a masterpiece, with its back having an elegant clock that is a unique feature to secular Baroque architecture in Malta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Main Guard (Valletta)</span> Guardhouse in Valletta, Malta

The Main Guard, originally called the Guardia della Piazza, is a building in Valletta, Malta, located in the square facing the Grandmaster's Palace in the city centre. It was originally built as a guardhouse in 1603 by the Order of St. John, and it remained in use after the British took over Malta in 1800. A Neoclassical portico was added in 1814, and a British coat of arms and a commemorative inscription were installed later on above the portico. These have become one of the main symbols of British rule in Malta. The building used to house the Office of the Attorney General.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banca Giuratale (Valletta)</span> City hall in Valletta, Malta

The Banca Giuratale, formerly also known as Banca dei Giurati, the Municipal Palace, the Palazzo della Città, Casa Città and the Consolato del Mare, is a public building in Valletta, Malta. It was built in the 18th century to house the city's administrative council, and it was subsequently used as the General Post Office and the Public Registry. The Banca Giuratale now houses the Ministry for the Economy,Enterprise and Strategic Projects, and it is officially known as Palazzo Zondadari.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banca Giuratale (Victoria, Gozo)</span> City hall of Victoria, Gozo, Malta

The Banca Giuratale is the city hall of Victoria, Gozo, Malta. It was built in the 18th century as the seat of the Università of Gozo. Over the years, it housed several government departments and also served as a police station and a post office. The building is currently the seat of the Victoria Local Council and the Gozo Regional Committee, and also houses the culture and information sections of the Ministry for Gozo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monte di Pietà (Malta)</span> Edifice in Valletta, Malta

The Monte di Pietà, formerly known as the Monte di Sant'Anna, is a charitable institution which lends money to those in need at modest interest rates, on the security of gold, silver or other precious articles given in pawn. In Malta the institution was set up in 1598, was known in the British period as the Public Pawn-Brokery, and it is still in operation today as part of the Inland Revenue Department. Since 1773, the Monte di Pietà has been housed in a 16th-century building in Valletta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Admiralty House (Valletta)</span> Palace in Valletta, Malta

Admiralty House, formerly known as Casa Miari, Palazzo Don Raimondo and by several other names, is a palace in Valletta, Malta. It was originally built in 1569–70 as two private houses by Fra Jean de Soubiran dit Arafat, a knight of the Order of St. John. The houses were later leased to various owners, including Fra Raimondo de Sousa y Silva, who rebuilt them a single residence between 1761 and 1763.

Andrea Belli was a Maltese architect and businessman. He designed several Baroque buildings, including Auberge de Castille in Valletta, which is now the Office of the Prime Minister of Malta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forni della Signoria</span> Bakehouse in Malta

The Forni della Signoria was a bakehouse in Valletta, Malta. It was constructed in the late 16th century by the Order of St John, and it consisted of a number of bakeries which produced bread for the inhabitants of Valletta and the surrounding area, as well as for the Order's garrison and navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maltese Baroque architecture</span> A form of Baroque architecture

Maltese Baroque architecture is the form of Baroque architecture that developed in Malta during the 17th and 18th centuries, when the islands were under the rule of the Order of St. John. The Baroque style was introduced in Malta in the early 17th century, possibly by the Bolognese engineer Bontadino de Bontadini during the construction of the Wignacourt Aqueduct. The style became popular in the mid to late 17th century, and it reached its peak during the 18th century, when monumental Baroque structures such as Auberge de Castille were constructed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Casino Maltese</span> Building in Valletta, Malta

The Casino Maltese is a private members' club in Valletta founded in 1852. It is housed in a Grade 1 listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chapel of the Immaculate Conception, St. Julian's</span> Church in St. Julians, Malta

The Chapel of the Immaculate Conception is a Roman Catholic chapel on Bajja 'ta Spinola in St Julian's, Malta. It was built as the church for the Spinola Palace nearby and dedicated to the Immaculate Conception.

References

  1. 1 2 "IL-GAZZETTA TAL-GVERN 1813-1840" (PDF). Um.edu.mt. Retrieved 19 May 2019.[ permanent dead link ]
  2. ↑ Joseph C. Sammut. "CURRENCY IN MALTA" (PDF). Llrc.mcast.edu.mt. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  3. ↑ Għaqda Mużikali Marija Assunta (Gudja, Malta) (1996). Ġilormo Cassar, 'Madonna taċ-Ċintura, Gudja [festa 1996',p.1,2]
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "One World – Protecting the most significant buildings, monuments and features of Valletta (2)". Times of Malta . 22 May 2008. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  5. ↑ Ferris, Achille (19 May 1881). "Memorie dell' inclito Ordine gerosolimitano esistenti nelle isole di Malta". Tip. di C. Busuttil. Retrieved 19 May 2019– via Google Books.
  6. 1 2 Denaro, Victor F. (1959). "Houses in Kingsway and Old Bakery Street, Valletta". Melita Historica. 2 (4): 204–205. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015.
  7. ↑ "Maltapost privatisation latest red-letter day in postal history". Times of Malta . 21 January 2008. Archived from the original on 6 October 2015.
  8. ↑ Miège, Loris (1840). Histoire de Malte: Statistique (in French). Vol. 1. Paulin. pp. 332–333.
  9. ↑ Benoit, Marie (9 March 2014). "Marie Benoit's Diary". The Malta Independent. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  10. ↑ Ferris, Achille (1881). Memorie dell' inclito Ordine gerosolimitano esistenti nelle isole di Malta. Tip. di C. Busuttil. p. 197.
  11. ↑ "Some 19th Century Hotelsd in Malta" (PDF). Mwelitensiawth.com. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  12. ↑ Benoit, Marie (28 February 2014). Marie Benoit's Diary. The Malta Independent . Archived from the original on 10 October 2016.
  13. ↑ "Maltese community found in Japan dates back more than 100 years". The Malta Independent . 9 June 2015. Archived from the original on 14 August 2015.
  14. ↑ "Documentary on Maltese community in Japan". Times of Malta . 19 July 2015. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016.
  15. ↑ Bonello, Giovanni (2003). Histories of Malta – Convictions and Conjectures. Vol. 4. Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti. pp. 217–218. ISBN   9789993210276.
  16. ↑ Manley, Deborah (2012). Malta: A Traveller's Anthology. Andrews UK Limited. p. 102. ISBN   978-1908493590.
  17. ↑ 200-year-old History in an old musty archive. 11 March 2012. The Malta Independent . Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  18. ↑ "The History". Caffe Cordina. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.