17th century bishop's summer house lies in ruins

A summer residence built for a bishop, overlooking the aptly called Wied l-Isqof, in the limits of Rabat, is in ruins and parts of it have already collapsed.

The residence, built by Bishop Baldassere Cagliares at his own expense in the area known as Ta' Xewka in the early 1600s, was meant to serve as a modest summer house, complete with servants' quarters. The bishop was following the trend set by Grand Master Verdala, who built Verdala Palace as his summer residence in the late 1500s, and the Inquisitor, Onorato Visconti who, in 1624, built his summer palace at Girgenti.

The house in the country was popular because no one dared build a seaside home because of raids by corsairs. Both the Inquisitor's Palace at Girgenti and Verdala Palace have been restored and are being cared for, but the bishop's villa is in ruins.

Lino Bugeja, the president of the Ramblers Association, said he had known about the villa for a long time but he recently saw a rapid deterioration and, unless something was done soon, there would be little left to save. A number of roofs have partially caved in and cracks are appearing in some of the walls.

"The bishop's residence is an essential part of our ecclesiastical heritage and national patrimony and those responsible for the preservation and conservation of our national monuments should take immediate action," he said.

The villa lies on a promontory underneath which there is a fresh water spring and a huge stone table. An inscription from a notarial deed is sculpted in stone on the façade, bearing the date August 23, 1792. The coat of arms of Bishop Davide Cocco-Palmieri is also on the façade.