Palazzo Dorell

Hunting lodge, Palace in Gudja, Malta
35°51′2.27″N 14°30′25.29″E / 35.8506306°N 14.5070250°E / 35.8506306; 14.5070250Named forPietro Paolo Dorell FalzonCompleted1670OwnerGino, Baron di San MarcoTechnical detailsMaterialLimestoneFloor count2
Xlejli Tower

Palazzo Dorell[2] (French: Palais d'Aurel[3]), also known as Bettina Palace,[4][a] is a 17th-century Palladian[1] palace located in Gudja, Malta.[9][10]

History

The property was built during the Order of St. John by Count Ignatius Francesco Moscati Falsoni Navarra as a family home and country residence in 1670.[11][12] The palace was bought in 1760 by Pietro Paolo Falzon d'Aurelle (English: Dorell) Falzon,[13][1] and is interchangeably named for him and his daughter Marchesa[14] Lady Elisabetta Testaferrata Dorell.[15][16]

The palace served as the headquarters for the British forces, under General Graham, during the French blockade (1798–1800).[2]

The interior of the building has some of the ceiling covered in frescoes which were painted by Antonio Grech (1758-1819), known as "Naici" (Antonaci).[17]

It was the last building used by the British, with the consent of the owners, before having to leave Malta in 1979 on Freedom Day.[18]

Since the 19th century the place has become limitedly open to the public with special permission of the owners, starting from the Patron Lorenzo Galea.[19]

Gardens

The Xlejli Tower and a chapel are located inside the walled private gardens of the property.[20][3] In the garden is also a small cemetery where British armymen who died during the French occupation of Malta are buried.[21] The garden is considerably large compared to other general houses. It has a French style.[22][23]

Modern

Today the palace is a private residence and is not open to the public.

The palace is scheduled as a grade 1 scheduled property by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) and listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands (NICPMI).[2]

Other Dorell residences

The aristocratic French family d'Aurelle had other notable properties in Malta. The palace should not be confused with Palazzo Bettina[24][25][26] in Birgu, nor Casa Dorell in Valletta;[27] which both belonged to the same family once.[28]

Further reading

  • Dorell
  • Cassar Pullicino, Joseph. "The Order of St. John in Maltese Folk-Memory". Melitensia. p. 156.
  • Chambry, D.; Trump, David H. (1978). Malta. Nagel Publishers. p. 153. ISBN 9782826307112.
  • Crosthwait, Anne. "Stately Homes: Palazzo d'Auriel". 5 (3). Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  • Old Mdina cathedral survives in many places

Notes

  1. ^ Also known asVilla Bettina,[2] Villa Dorell[5] (Villa d'Aurel[6]), Xlejli Palace[7] and among the nearby community as simply 'The Palace' (Il-Palazz),[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c Malta - Guide Verdi Europa. Touring Editore. 9 September 2017. ISBN 9788836533176. Retrieved 9 September 2017 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ a b c d "Palazzo Dorell" (PDF). National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. 28 December 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 November 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  3. ^ a b Zammit Tabona, Kenneth (2015). "The Age of Elegance". Miranda Publishers.
  4. ^ Gozo Tourism Association, "Dorell Palace and Xlejli Tower Overview in Gudja, Malta" Archived 21 July 2017 at the Wayback Machine, Island of Gozo.
  5. ^ "Splendor of Malta -". Bdlbooks.com. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  6. ^ "Chapter123". 1 August 2016. Archived from the original on 1 August 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. ^ Evans, John Davies (9 September 1971). The prehistoric antiquities of the Maltese Islands: a survey. Athlone Press. ISBN 9780485110937. Retrieved 9 September 2017 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ Gaul, Simon (2007), "Malta, Gozo and Comino", New Holland Publishers, p. 229-230.
  9. ^ "Palazzo+Dorell,+Vjal+It-Torri,+Gudja,+Malta Map". Maps7.com. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  10. ^ "Diploma Long Essays - International Institute for Baroque Studies - University of Malta". Um.edu.mt. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  11. ^ Gaul, Simon (9 September 2017). Malta, Gozo and Comino. New Holland Publishers. ISBN 9781860113659. Retrieved 9 September 2017 – via Google Books.
  12. ^ L/RAMC, Col W Bonnici. "The Very Long Hiccup and The Army Medical Services in Malta". Maltaramc.com. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  13. ^ "Il-Gudja : History". Visitmalta.com. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  14. ^ "Lord Nelson's romance with Malta - Henri Diacono - Guest Experience Manager - Membership - Azure". Azure.com.mt. Archived from the original on 21 November 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  15. ^ Piro, Nicholas De (20 July 1997). Valletta: A City Built by Gentlemen for Gentlemen. Miranda Publications. ISBN 9789990985009. Retrieved 20 July 2018 – via Google Books.
  16. ^ "Welcome to the Maltese Islands & Discover Cottonera". Discovermalta.org. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  17. ^ "The frescoes at 'Palazzo Paolina'". Timesofmalta.com. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  18. ^ "The end of an ERA at Palazzo D'Aurel, Gudja". Malta Independent. 1 April 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2018 – via PressReader.
  19. ^ Quintana, J. (20 July 2018). "Guida dell'isola di Malta e sue dipendenze preceduta da un breve cenno d'istoria e corredata da una carta topografica delle medesime". per cura e spese di J: Quintana. Retrieved 20 July 2018 – via Google Books.
  20. ^ "Gudja in Malta". My Guide Malta. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  21. ^ Cassar Pullicino, Joseph. "The Order of St. John in Maltese Folk-Memory" Archived 17 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Melitensia. p. 157.
  22. ^ “The Palazzo itself is a simple symmetrical building, rather French in feeling, with an open forecourt and low side wings, both unusual features in a Maltese country house. It was built about 1660 and extended and decorated later.....”.
  23. ^ "Country Life". Country Life, Limited. 30 September 1979 – via Google Books.
  24. ^ "L'Abbiti" (PDF). Melitensiawth.com. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  25. ^ "Bettina Palace Guesthouse | Chris Briffa Architects". Archived from the original on 6 January 2020.
  26. ^ "Historic buildings Palazzo Bettina in Birgu". Archived from the original on 6 January 2020.
  27. ^ Luke, Sir Harry (9 September 2017). "Malta: An Account and an Appreciation". Harrap. Retrieved 9 September 2017 – via Google Books.
  28. ^ Ltd, Allied Newspapers. "Palazzo Bettina". Timesofmalta.com. Retrieved 9 September 2017.