Parts of the official residence of the President are being restored to their original state, so that, in Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca’s words, San Anton Palace “can be enjoyed by the Maltese”.

The restoration work kicked off last year with a series of rooms situated around the private gardens of the palace.

Today, these rooms host the offices of the President’s Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society.

Meanwhile, work also started on the former storerooms, which were cleared and turned into a multi-purpose hall.

In the process, several arches were discovered after a roof separating them from the storerooms was pulled down. The arches were restored.

The main kitchen has also gone through the conservation process, which included the restoration of some arches and the installation of cold rooms.

The restoration in progress of the multi-purpose hall, which was used previously as a storeroom.

The transformation required some research into how these rooms looked during colonial times, so that decorations,haberdashery and furniture reflected the style of those times

Part of the restoration process focuses specifically on the palace’s state rooms. Work was carried out last year on a room that is now called the Music Room, which is regularly used for concerts organised by the Office of the President.

A number of offices were transferred to the lower floors, meanwhile, so that the halls they used to occupy could be transformed into a library, a billiard room, a ladies room and a grand salon.

The transformation required some research into how these rooms looked during colonial times, so that decorations, haberdashery and furniture reflected the style of those times.

So far, some €200,000 has been spent, but the project, which will be completed by the end of this year, is still in the process of tender adjudication.

San Anton Palace and the surrounding gardens owe their origin to Antoine de Paule, who was elected grandmaster of the Order of St John in 1623.

The same man, who founded Paola, acquired a plot of land off Attard, which was nearer to Valletta than Verdala Palace.

There, he built a country villa that could host his guests and domestic staff, which he named after his patron saint, Anthony of Padua.

The main kitchen went through the conservation process, which included the restoration of some arches and the installation of cold rooms.