One World - Protecting the most significant buildings, monuments and features of Valletta (56)

Auberge de Baviere was built as a hostel for the German knights from Bavaria.

It is an imposing building located at the city's edge overlooking the pomerium (military area behind the fortifications). Its main façade is punctuated by a regular repetition of delicately detailed windows, six on each side of a slightly projecting centrepiece comprising the main portal and open stone balcony. At the upper level the centrepiece features three doorways opening onto the balcony, the central door having a semicircular arched opening whilst the two flanking ones are square-headed. The monumentality of the façade is further reinforced by bold corner pilasters.

The levels below the ground floor consists of vaulted chambers and other holdings accessed from Triq San Karlu near the Jews' Sally Port area.

The Auberge was originally known as Palazzo Carniero and its architect was Carlo Gimach (1651-1730). The palace was built in 1696 by Fra Gaspare Carnerio, Bali' of Acre, on the site of an old lime-kiln that had been leased to him.

Damaged in World War II and subsequently partially reconstructed, the palace was used as a government school prior to being assigned used as a public office for the Estates Management Department.

Mepa scheduled the Auberge de Bavier as a Grade 1 national monument as per Government Notice number 276/08 in the Government Gazette dated March 28.