The façade of Palazzo Ferreria in Valletta has been unveiled following a one-year restoration project.

The work was carried out by the Restoration Department, which has now turned its attention to the Ordnance Street side of the building.

The 19th century building is actually called “Palazzo Buttigieg Francia”, and belonged to a family of businessmen from Rhodes.

Prior to its construction, the site was used by the Knights of St John as a “ferreria”, another word for foundry.

Designed by Architect Giuseppe Bonavia, it was the first building to introduce timber balconies on the islands and is a grade 1 national monument.

Restoration is currently underway on a number of heritage sites, 15 of them in Valletta in the run-up to it becoming the Capital of Culture in 2018.