Florentine Renaissance influences and construction techniques in the Hospitaller auberges of the langues (Valletta, Malta)

This chapter investigates the auberges of the langues of the Order of St John in Valletta, Malta, in terms of their 16th-century Renaissance features, architectural models, and construction techniques. For this purpose, it analyses the Tuscan decorative models and the military features that are typical of the Order’s architecture. While austere in character, the auberges present similarities to palaces in the Italian capitals and also derive decorative elements from the architectural treatises of their time, in combination with the local tradition. Although the auberges have undergone major transformations over time, they are still the architectural expression of the Order’s power and magnificence. A comparative approach is adopted, using the Auberge of Italy as a case study. This investigation is part of a larger research project entitled ‘Stories of the Auberge of Italy’, carried out in collaboration between Heritage Malta, the University of Malta, and the Politecnico di Torino, and supported by the Malta Council for Science and Technology. Thanks to the recent archival research on this building, this study advances our knowledge of 16th-century architectural and construction techniques in Hospitaller Malta and identifies a clear construction chronology of the building, which until now was only tentative.