Snapshots of an Island: The Staircase At Verdala Palace

WELCOME

This blog is dedicated to Malta - my island home. My aim is not to bore you with history but to share my thoughts and a few facts together with a photo or two. For a more in -depth background of the island please go here. The purpose of this blog is not to point out the short-comings of the island. There are plenty that do that already. My wish is to show you the beauty of an island at the cross roads of the Mediterranean, a melting pot of history; a place where fact and fiction are sometimes fused to create unique myths and legends; a country that has been conquered so many times that our culture is a mish mesh of the lands that surround us and of lands far away. I confess that my greatest desire is to make you fall in love with this tiny enchanting island.

Thursday, 15 March 2012

The Staircase At Verdala Palace

Verdala Palace is the official summer and holiday residence of the President of Malta. It is not normally open to the public but every couple of years or so an open weekend is held. Naturally, thousands of people flock to this historic place. It has been a while since we had the opportunity to visit so these photos are from my archives. I had written a post about the palace and about the Blue Lady that is said to haunt it here. Today I am going to focus on one of the palace’s most unique and beautiful features: its main staircase.

The staircase is elliptical and was designed by Maltese architect Girolamo Cassar, who was also responsible for a number of other magnificent buildings. It is said, that to give it its unique design, no two stones are the exact same size. This staircase is a prime example of Baroque architecture - a style that was purposefully designed to be both grandiose and awe-inspiring. I am sure that this staircase does not disappoint in either respect.