The façade of the Banca Giuratale, one of Gozo’s best known and finest baroque buildings, is being restored thanks to a sponsorship by HSBC Malta Foundation.

The works are due to be completed by the end of this year.

HSBC Bank Malta CEO Mark Watkinson presented the sponsorship cheque to the Minister for Gozo Anton Refalo.

The works include the removal of all superfluous cables and fixtures attached to the façade, the removal of cement based rendering, the cleaning of the façade, the replacement of damaged stone blocks and decorative cornice, the maintenance of timber apertures, and waterproofing.

Built on the site of an earlier structure which was the seat of the local government of Gozo known as the ‘Universitas’, the Banca Giuratale at Independence Square, better known as It-Tokk - was built to the design of the French military engineer Charles Françoise de Mondion (1681-1733) who was responsible for the building of most of Malta’s finest buildings and fortifications.

The original building consisted of an oblong structure on two storeys surmounted by the coat of arms of the Order of St John and Grand Master Antonio Manuel de Vilhena as well as that of the Gozo Universitas.

Due to limited space. in 1868 a semi-circular extension designed by Giovanni Bonello was added to the building giving it the appearance that it has today. The original facade can still be seen on the inside of the building.

The Banca Giuratale over the years housed several different entities including the Police, the Notarial Archives, the General Post Office, the Gozo Civic Council and the Department of Agriculture. Today it is the seat of Victoria Local Council and houses also the offices of the Culture and Information Sections of the Ministry for Gozo.