Auberge d’Aragon, Valletta

Historic Building in Valletta

CC BY-SA 4.0 / Pi3.124

The Auberge d'Aragon is one of Valletta's oldest and most historically significant auberges, built shortly after the city's founding in 1566 to house the Knights of the Langue of Aragon, which also included Catalonia and Navarre. Designed by Girolamo Cassar, the Order's chief architect, it exemplifies his restrained Mannerist style, marked by symmetry, proportion, and simplicity. Unlike the more ornate Baroque façades that came later, the Auberge d'Aragon retains the sober elegance typical of Valletta's earliest architecture. Its golden limestone façade is structured around a balanced arrangement of windows and a central doorway, framed by shallow pilasters — a visual reflection of the disciplined lifestyle of the knights it once sheltered.

As one of the first auberges to be completed in Valletta, the Auberge d'Aragon held an important place in the Order's early urban layout. It served as a residence, administrative center, and social hub for knights from the Aragonese, Catalan, and Navarrese regions, who were among the Order's most influential members. Inside, the building's design originally included communal living quarters, a refectory, meeting rooms, and a small chapel — all arranged around an internal courtyard, allowing both privacy and fellowship among the knights. Its position near Independence Square also reflected its prominence within the new city's civic and religious life, standing close to the Grand Master's Palace and St. John's Co-Cathedral, two of Valletta's central landmarks.

Through the centuries, the building adapted to Malta's evolving political landscape while retaining its architectural integrity. When the Knights of St. John left Malta in 1798, the auberge was repurposed for administrative functions under French and later British rule. Remarkably, despite these changes, it survived the transformations of the 18th and 19th centuries without major alterations, making it one of the most authentic examples of Cassar's original work still standing. Its clean lines and well-preserved façade offer a glimpse into the Order's early architectural ideals — functional, fortified, and spiritually grounded — before the more decorative Baroque style took hold in later decades.

Today, the Auberge d'Aragon serves as the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health, continuing a long legacy of governance and service. Though its interiors have been adapted for modern use, the exterior remains largely unchanged, and visitors can still admire its symmetry and craftsmanship from the street. As one of the few surviving auberges to preserve its 16th-century character, the Auberge d'Aragon stands as a rare and beautiful testament to Valletta's origins — a reminder of the Order's international spirit, architectural vision, and enduring influence on Malta's cultural identity.

The Auberge d’Aragon, Valletta appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Valletta!

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