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The Palace
When Grand Master Antoine de Paule (1623-1636) was elected to the supreme rank of the Order, he utilised the site of his small villa (near the hamlet of Balzan) to build a summer palace. He laid out an extensive garden with numerous fruit and ornamental trees and he named it appropriately San Anton, in honour of his name.
De Paule was notoriously known as a pleasure-loving man and entertained at leisure at San Anton. So much so, that he clashed with the Inquisitor, Fabio Chigi, later Pope Alexander VII, who considered him a self-indulgent and dissolute old man.
The palace was enlarged by Grand Masters de Vilhena and de Rohan, the former adding a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Pilar.
At a later time, British Governors erected the arcaded verandah beneath the turret, and made San Anton their private home. The palace has several spacious halls decorated with paintings and objects of fine art.
When the Maltese people revolted against the French regime in 1798, the palace was the meeting venue for the local insurgents. Later, Sir Alexander Ball, who commanded the allied troops, made it his headquarters. After the surrender of the French, the treaty of capitulation was signed in the palace.
Today San Anton Palace is the residence of the President of Malta.
The Gardens
The largest and loveliest garden area in Malta, lies on the confines of the three villages of Attard, Lija and Balzan. The San Anton Garden we know today was opened to the public in 1882.
Palms, cypress, jacarandas, araucarias and many other exotic plants, some of which date over three centuries, embellish the garden, together with fountains, pools, statues and myriad flower-beds. Orange and other citrus trees are grouped in enclosed sections. An elevated terrace beneath the palace façade, is covered with a magnificent Bougainvilla blooming profusely. Glasshouses with indoor plants and an aviary are located by the sides and back of the garden. A small enclosure, with a few camels and other desert animals, is an attraction for children and parents alike.
Nowadays, San Anton Gardens is the venue of the Annual Horticultural Show and other exhibitions. During the summer, the spacious central court is transformed into an open-air theatre for drama and musical performances.
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