CARAFFA

FORT ST.ANGELO

BIRGU MENQA

GRAND HARBOUR MARINA

ST.ANGELO MANSIONS


Caraffa > History

Photo Gallery
Architectural Plans

The Caraffa Palace on the Vittoriosa waterfront was built as stores by order of the Italian grand master Gregorio Caraffa in 1689, during the rule of the Knights of the Military Order of St. John.

The property has three levels, each consisting of a number of massive arched vaults. The ground floor housed the main galley supplies depot, and extensive chandlery that dealt with the supply requirements of fighting-ships and mercantile vessels that put into the Grand Harbour. The port and maritime central administrative offices of the Order of St John were on the first floor. On the second floor were the officers' quarters for the galley squadrons, and this is why there is a doorway at this level onto the street running past the back of the building.

The Caraffa Palace now has excellent potential as a centre for art and architecture. It has been chosen to house the Caravaggio - La Mostra Impossible, the RAI exhibition brought over to Malta on the initiative of the Caravaggio Foundation, which was set up earlier this year to build awareness about the life and work of Michelangelo Merisi di Caravaggio (www.caravaggio.com).