Heritage Malta is organising an evening tour of the Collacchio area in Vittoriosa following which they will visit Inquisitor’s Palace where they would be able to taste and eat local wine and traditional food. The participants will tour the Conventual Chaplain’s House, the Armoury, the Siculo Norman townhouse, the Auberge de France, the Manderaggio and other sites in the area.

The Collacchio is the area where the Knights of St John after taking possession of the Maltese islands in 1530, built the Auberges, an infirmary, and other buildings thus changing a poor area into a hub of activity which came to be called civitas Melitae in which more than 3,500 persons lived. The new buildings were erected in an area that was already built up thus the new buildings had to be built instead of other buildings which the Knights bought and demolished.

The original intention of the Knights was to create an area restricted to the Knights and from which non religious persons would be excluded as they had in Rhodes but in spite of the fact that this was formally approved during La Vallette’s magistracy it was never brought into effect as it proved impossible to empty the area of non-religious inhabitants as there was no place for these to go.

The tour will be held on Friday, June the 26th at 5.30pm.

Participants will meet at the Inquisitor’s Palace. The price of the tour is €15. For bookings please telephone 22954312.