Palazzo Dorell

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Palazzo Dorell
Architecture in Gudja 4.jpg
Front façade of Palazzo Dorell
Malta location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location within Malta
Former namesBettina Palace, Villa Dorell, Villa Bettina, Palais d'Aurelle
General information
StatusIntact
TypeHunting lodge
Palace
Architectural style Palladian architecture [1]
Location Gudja, Malta
Coordinates 35°51′2.27″N14°30′25.29″E / 35.8506306°N 14.5070250°E / 35.8506306; 14.5070250
Named forPietro Paolo Dorell Falzon
Completed1670
OwnerGino, Baron di San Marco
Technical details
Material Limestone
Floor count2
Xlejli Tower Xlejli Tower at Palazzo Dorell.jpeg
Xlejli Tower

Palazzo Dorell [2] (French: Palais d'Aurel [3] ), also known as Bettina Palace, [4] [lower-alpha 1] is a 17th-century Palladian [1] palace located in Gudja, Malta. [9] [10]

Contents

History

The property was built during the Order of St. John by Count Ignatius Francesco Moscati Falsoni Navarra as a family home and country residence in 1670. [11] [12] The palace was bought in 1760 by Pietro Paolo Falzon d'Aurelle (English: Dorell) Falzon, [13] [1] and is interchangeably named for him and his daughter Marchesa [14] Lady Elisabetta Testaferrata Dorell. [15] [16]

The palace served as the headquarters for the British forces, under General Graham, during the French blockade (1798–1800). [2]

The interior of the building has some of the ceiling covered in frescoes which were painted by Antonio Grech (1758-1819), known as "Naici" (Antonaci). [17]

It was the last building used by the British, with the consent of the owners, before having to leave Malta in 1979 on Freedom Day. [18]

Since the 19th century the place has become limitedly open to the public with special permission of the owners, starting from the Patron Lorenzo Galea. [19]

Gardens

The Xlejli Tower and a chapel are located inside the walled private gardens of the property. [20] [3] In the garden is also a small cemetery where British armymen who died during the French occupation of Malta are buried. [21] The garden is considerably large compared to other general houses. It has a French style. [22] [23]

Modern

Today the palace is a private residence and is not open to the public.

The palace is scheduled as a grade 1 scheduled property by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) and listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands (NICPMI). [2]

Other Dorell residences

The aristocratic French family d'Aurelle had other notable properties in Malta. The palace should not be confused with Palazzo Bettina [24] [25] [26] in Birgu, nor Casa Dorell in Valletta; [27] which both belonged to the same family once. [28]

Further reading

Notes

  1. Also known asVilla Bettina, [2] Villa Dorell [5] (Villa d'Aurel [6] ), Xlejli Palace [7] and among the nearby community as simply 'The Palace' (Il-Palazz), [8]

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References

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