Palazzo Nasciaro
Palazzo Nasciaro is an eighteenth-century historic townhouse in Naxxar, Malta, known for its architectural character and successive roles as a family residence, administrative building, school, police station, wartime shelter, and restored private home.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Palazzo Nasciaro is an eighteenth-century townhouse in Naxxar, Malta, rather than a conventional commercial brand. The building was constructed during the period of the Order of St. John as a residence for architect Francesco Sammut and was later associated with his son, architect Giovanni Sammut. Its design is generally described as Baroque or Rococo-influenced, with a formal symmetrical limestone façade, arched entrance elements, traditional Maltese architectural details, high ceilings, timber apertures, original stone paving, and a central courtyard. The name Palazzo Nasciaro is a relatively modern and romanticized designation; the building's scale and arrangement are more consistent with a substantial townhouse than with a palace in the strict architectural sense. The property occupies an elevated and historically strategic position close to Victory Square and the parish core of Naxxar. Its location once provided views toward Attard, Balzan, and Lija, while its position on the former Strada Reale placed it on an important local route. The building is also adjacent to the former residence of the Naxxar parish priest. Over time, it became closely tied to the civic history of the town and the surrounding northern region of Malta. During the British period, the townhouse served as the Lieutenant's House, or Dar il-Kmand. The lieutenant acted as an administrative representative for Naxxar and a much wider surrounding area, which at one stage extended toward St. Paul's Bay. In Italian usage the building was known as Casa del Luogotenente, while Casa Nasciaro was another historical name. The property therefore became associated with the administrative and political changes of nineteenth-century Malta, including tensions involving language, education, and competing cultural orientations among local elites. The building subsequently became the first public primary school in Naxxar, or one of the earliest such schools in the locality. Its educational use reflected the expansion of public schooling under British administration. Elisa Scicluna was transferred from Msida to Naxxar in 1904 to serve as headmistress in connection with the school. Additions made during this period, including school sanitary facilities, remained part of the building. Palazzo Nasciaro later became Naxxar's first police station and the headquarters of a substantial northern police district. Local residents continued to call it the old police station even after the police moved elsewhere. During its police use, the original upper portion of the traditional timber balcony on the façade was removed, although the carved limestone lower section survived. The building was eventually abandoned and remained disused for more than two decades. The townhouse also contains two underground air-raid shelters excavated during the Second World War. One shelter, entered from street level, was used as a temporary maternity ward within an underground hospital. The shelters were opened to the local community during the bombing of Malta by Axis forces and became part of the building's distinctive wartime history. In the modern period, the property was acquired by British property owner Paul Golding and underwent an extensive restoration and modernization project beginning in 2007. The work reportedly continued for approximately seven years. The restored residence retained numerous historic features while introducing contemporary services and amenities, including an indoor swimming pool and a studio apartment at the rear of the first floor. Furniture and fittings from established designers and firms were incorporated into the interior. The former large gardens, once opened to the public as Gnien il-Kmand or Commander's Gardens, have largely been replaced by later housing development, although the courtyard and a smaller backyard remain. Palazzo Nasciaro was marketed internationally as a private residence in the mid-2010s. Its present ownership, commercial status, and operating condition are not confirmed by the supplied sources.
History
Palazzo Nasciaro developed from an eighteenth-century family townhouse built during the rule of the Order of St. John. Architect Francesco Sammut designed it as his principal residence, and his son Giovanni Sammut later inherited the property and made alterations. The building is also historically associated with the Amato family. Its elevated location near the centre of Naxxar gave it a prominent position overlooking the surrounding settlements and connected it to the main urban route leading toward the town piazza. Under British rule, the property was converted into the Lieutenant's House, known in local historical usage as Dar il-Kmand, Casa del Luogotenente, or Casa Nasciaro. The lieutenant administered Naxxar and a broad northern area of Malta. The building's administrative role coincided with a period of political and linguistic change, when education and public life were influenced by competing British, Maltese, and Italian cultural interests. The townhouse later became a public primary school. It was probably Naxxar's first free public school, established during the expansion of government education in Malta. Elisa Scicluna was transferred from Msida in 1904 to become headmistress in Naxxar. School-related facilities, including toilet rooms, were added to the building and survived after the educational use ended. A secondary school was later built nearby in what had formerly been part of the palace gardens. The building then served as Naxxar's first police station and as the headquarters of a regional police administration. This use remained important in local memory, and residents continued to refer to the property as the old police station. Alterations made during this period affected the façade, including the removal of the upper timber portion of the traditional Maltese balcony. Its carved limestone base remains an important surviving feature. During the Second World War, two underground shelters were excavated beneath the property. Their labyrinthine passages protected civilians during air raids on Malta. One shelter was used as a temporary maternity ward in an underground hospital, giving the building a particularly distinctive wartime association. An air-raid plaque formerly displayed at the entrance is now held by the Malta at War Museum. The large gardens associated with the former Lieutenant's House were once opened to the public under the name Gnien il-Kmand, or Commander's Gardens. Later development transformed much of the garden land into housing. The townhouse retained a central courtyard, a smaller backyard, and parts of its original spatial organization. After standing unused for more than twenty years, the property entered a major restoration phase in 2007 under British owner Paul Golding. The project reportedly took about seven years and combined conservation of limestone, arches, paving, apertures, balconies, and other historic elements with modern domestic amenities. An indoor swimming pool and a rear studio apartment were among the contemporary additions. Interior furnishings and decorative fittings were sourced from established British, French, and other design firms. The restored property was subsequently presented in international lifestyle and real-estate media and offered for sale. Palazzo Nasciaro is scheduled as a Grade 2 national monument and lies within an urban conservation context, reflecting both its architectural features and its importance to the civic history of Naxxar.
- 2016
International property marketing
[1]The restored townhouse received international media coverage after being offered on the property market.
- 2014
Completion of the reported restoration period
[1]The restoration was reported to have taken approximately seven years, bringing the project to completion around this period.
- 2007
Restoration begins
[1]A major restoration and modernization project began after the townhouse had been unused for roughly two decades.
- 1904
Public primary school association
[1]Elisa Scicluna was transferred from Msida to Naxxar to serve as headmistress as the building operated as a public primary school.
Construction during the Order of St. John
[1]The townhouse was built in the eighteenth century as the residence of architect Francesco Sammut.
Giovanni Sammut alters and inherits the townhouse
[1]Francesco Sammut's son, architect Giovanni Sammut, inherited the property and made alterations to the residence.
British-period Lieutenant's House
[1]The building became the administrative residence and office of the lieutenant serving Naxxar and surrounding districts.
Conversion into a police station
[1]Palazzo Nasciaro became Naxxar's first police station and a regional police headquarters.
Second World War shelters and maternity ward
[1]Underground shelters were excavated and one was used as a temporary maternity ward during wartime bombing.
Products and positioning
A historically layered Maltese townhouse positioned through its heritage architecture, unusual civic history, wartime associations, and restoration as a high-end private residence.
Historic residential property
Palazzo Nasciaro townhouse
The principal property is a substantial limestone townhouse with a symmetrical Baroque-influenced façade, formal entrance, elevated main floor, traditional Maltese architectural details, high ceilings, original stone slabs, timber apertures, interior arches, and a central courtyard. Restoration retained historic fabric while adapting the building for contemporary private residential use.
Wartime heritage feature
Underground air-raid shelters
Two underground shelters form part of the property. They were hand-excavated during the Second World War and used by the Naxxar community during air raids. One shelter also accommodated a temporary maternity ward within an underground hospital.
Architectural heritage feature
Central courtyard and restored interiors
The courtyard preserves original spatial relationships and includes a decorative wall fountain and plantings. The interiors combine limestone, arches, historic paving, decorative fittings, and selected modern amenities, including an indoor swimming pool and a rear studio apartment.
Brand decisions
2007
Adaptive reuse as a restored private residenceStrategyBackground
After a prolonged period of disuse, the historic townhouse required substantial conservation and modernization.
Action taken
The owner initiated a multi-year restoration that preserved significant architectural features while adding contemporary residential facilities.
Aftermath
The building was reintroduced as a high-end private residence and later marketed internationally.
Sources2 sources
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