Sculpting History at San Anton’s new entrance

Halmann Vella is proud of its pivotal role in the embellishment of the entrance to Sant’Anton Palace – a landmark project marking the intersection of history and modernity.

The memorial to Grand Master Antoine De Paule, recently inaugurated by H.E. President George Vella, commemorates the historical origins of the official residence of Malta’s Head of State.

The concept, imbuing historical heritage with contemporary relevance, is the work of internationally acclaimed artist Austin Camilleri. No visitor to the palace will escape the strong gaze of Antoine De Paule, cast in bronze, standing firmly in the central portal. At his feet, lies a water trough, hollowed out of the ground in the shape of an inverted pyramid. Verses penned by Maltese poet-laureate Maria Grech Ganado are etched in the walls of the trough, facing the stairs that visually connect the sculpture, to the gurgling water at the bottom.

The project developed by Perit Andrew Sultana, is an elegant fusion of Maltese art, literature, and craftsmanship, expressed elegantly in resplendent local hardstone. The local hardstone flooring is intricately crafted to resemble a sprawling carpet, in harmony with the elegant surroundings of the parade ground. The main sloping plane of the trough starts seamlessly from this hardstone ‘carpet’, creating a captivating illusion of water emerging from the ground and streaming down to the deepest corner. The water level is precisely calibrated to allow the engraved verses to float on the water surface.

With a legacy rooted in expertise and dedication, Halmann Vella, has supplied and installed the flooring, sloping trough, stairs, and the verses on the trough wall. All these components are in local hard stone, engraved skilfully by a five axis CNC. Halmann Vella’s project team for this seminal project was ably coordinated by our own Karl Vella.

The completion of this masterpiece design is another testament to Halmann Vella’s expertise and dedication, as we remain committed to pushing architectural boundaries while preserving cultural heritage. Halmann Vella is proud of its contribution to this prestigious project that now stands amongst Malta’s national landmarks.