International researchers study Malta’s historic palace construction

International experts gathered in Malta for a two-day workshop examining the construction history of historic palaces and how physical evidence can help fill gaps in historical records.

The workshop, titled Palaces Beyond the Written Source: The Case Study of Malta, was organised by Heritage Malta in collaboration with the European research project EUROGLOSS on 23 and 24 October.

The event brought together architectural historians, archaeologists, historians, archivists, and conservation specialists from across Europe to discuss methods of studying historic buildings when written documentation is limited.

EUROGLOSS focuses on construction terminology used in 17th- and 18th-century European court residences. Led by Valentina Burgassi of Politecnico di Torino, the project aims to develop an open-access digital database and multilingual glossary documenting historical construction techniques and vocabulary.

In Malta, gaps in historical records have made it difficult to establish the construction history of some palatial buildings. The workshop examined how structural archaeology and material analysis can help researchers identify construction phases and techniques where written evidence is unavailable.

The first day took place in Valletta, with sessions at the Auberge d'Italie, followed by visits to the National Library of Malta and the Grand Master's Palace.

On the second day, participants visited Fort St Angelo and the Inquisitor's Palace in Birgu, where they carried out field-based research before concluding with a round-table discussion.

Discussions focused on interpreting construction techniques through physical evidence, comparing Maltese palaces with other European court residences, and linking building features with historical construction terminology.

The workshop was organised by Leone Carlo Ghoddousi, Christian Mifsud, Felix Schmieder, and Emine Çiğdem Asrav.

The findings will contribute to EUROGLOSS's digital platform, which aims to document construction practices and terminology across European court residences.