Zamitello Palace
| Zamittello Palace | |
|---|---|
Kastell Zamittellu | |
 View of the Zamittello Palace | |
Interactive map of the Zamittello Palace area | |
Alternative names | Castello Zamittello Zamittello Tower |
General information | |
| Status | Intact |
| Type | Villa |
Architectural style | Victorian architecture |
| Location | Mġarr, Malta |
| Coordinates | 35°55′15.3″N 14°21′34.4″E / 35.920917°N 14.359556°E |
Completed | 19th century |
| Owner | Count Manduca Piscopo Macedonia |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Limestone |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Sir Guiseppe Nicola Zamitt |
The Zamittello Palace, also known as Castello Zamittello (Maltese: Kastel Zamittellu) or Zamittello Tower,[a] is a 19th-century Victorian countryside folly on the outskirts of Mġarr in Malta. It was built by Sir Giuseppe Nicola Zamitt. It is open to public for events like weddings and celebrations.
This edifice must not be confused with the Palazzo Zammitello, designed by architect Edward Said and located in the city of Valletta.[1]
History
The building was built by the Sir Giuseppe Nicola Zamitt in the early nineteenth century as a countryside folly [2]: 186 in the limits of Mġarr in Malta,[3][4] although commercial sources claim that it dates back to 1675.[5][6]
The last resident, Count Francis Sant Cassia was a cousin of the owner Count Francis Manduca and was murdered just outside the premises on 27 October 1988. The case has not been solved,[7][8] though a government employee was arraigned for the shooting in 2006[9] but was still waiting for his trial by 2023.[10]
Architecture
The building is a 19th-century ornate architectural folly, built in imitation of the Tower of London.[11]: 166 [8] Although it resembles a fortification, according to military architecture expert Stephen C. Spiteri, it is "entirely useless from a defensive point of view".[12]
The names given to the building are a misnomer as it is closely comparable to a country house villa,[13] and its outline is a square-shaped residence designed with typical Victorian architecture.[14] It prominently features one roof-level turret and four guerites.[14][13] The latter have a unique design and were never desirable nor used in Maltese military context.[14] Above the turret sits a Christian cross, in the form of a crucifix.[13]
Further reading
References
- ↑ Grima, Noel (4 February 2016). "Palazzo Zammitello in Valletta to be turned into boutique hotel". www.independent.com.mt. Retrieved 2026-05-16.
- ↑ Simon Gaul (2007). Malta, Gozo & Comino. London: Cadogan Guides. ISBN 9781860113659.
- ↑ [s.n.] (2004). Landscape Assessment of the Maltese Islands Archived October 3, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. Malta Environment and Planning Authority. Accessed September 2015.
- ↑ Wilson, Neil; Bain, Carolyn Joy (2010). Malta & Gozo. Lonely Planet. p. 106. ISBN 9781741045086.
- ↑ "Castello Zamittello". Catermax. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015.
- ↑ "Castello Zamittello" (PDF). Maltese Newsletter (84): 16. June 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 February 2016.
- ↑ [s.n.] (9 January 2007). Traces Of gunshot residue found on man but he insists he did not fire a weapon. The Malta Independent. Accessed September 2015.
- 1 2 Malta – Guide Verdi Europa (in Italian). Touring Editore. 2007. p. 107. ISBN 9788836533176.
- ↑ "Man Arraigned for 1988 Baron Sant Cassia murder". www.independent.com.mt. 9 April 2006. Retrieved 2026-05-16.
- ↑ Tihn, Daniel (2023-03-03). "Daughter of murdered baron says 35-year wait for trial is 'shameful'". Times of Malta. Retrieved 2026-05-16.
- ↑ D. Chambry, David H. Trump (1978). Malta. Geneva: Nagel. ISBN 9782826307112.
- ↑ Spiteri, Stephen C. (2015). "On the Study of Military Architecture". ARX Occasional Papers (5). MilitaryArchitecture.com: 37. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
- 1 2 3 Morana, Martin (2012). Ara x'int tgħid: glossarju enċiklopediku ta' termini storiċi, toponimi, qwiel u idjomi, tradizzjonijiet Maltin, kurżitajiet oħra (in Maltese). Martin Morana. p. 245. ISBN 9789995703608. OCLC 830362895.
- 1 2 3 Spiteri, Stephen C. (2017). The Fortifications of Malta. BDL Publishings (Book Distributors Limited). p. 124. ISBN 978-99957-67-38-9.
Notes
- ↑ Sometimes also spelt Zamitello or Zamittello
Media related to Castello Zamittello at Wikimedia Commons