I have long been meaning to pay a visit to the latest jewel in the crown of Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti – Palazzo Falson in Mdina which opened its doors to the public in May 2007. It has been lovingly refurbished in its every detail by our foremost aesthete Maurice de Giorgio, and his team. We have seen many illustrated articles regarding Palazzo Falson, also known as the Norman House, but reading about a place is not the same as going there and savouring its ambience. And Palazzo Falson is drenched in ambience. So, one day recently I finally accepted the invitation of the Curator, Francesca Balzan and took the day off as I intended to relish every minute of my visit and not have to dash through it with an eye on my watch. Francesca, as you know, recently published a massive tome on Maltese Jewellery. In spite of a very heavy schedule she volunteered to show me round the Palazzo herself which, because of her extensive knowledge of this beautiful historic home museum and engaging personality, I considered a privilege.

Whereas in a world where today’s furniture, silver, jewellery in the shops in the high streets of the world are really not very thrilling, the furniture, the paintings, the objets d’art at Palazzo Falson with their glint of the fabulous and the patina of age exude warmth and character. The building itself, even if it were empty, would be enough for an enjoyable morning or afternoon visit for its history has always been distinctive.

The origins of Palazzo Falson can be traced back to the first half of the13th century. There were modifications to the house at the turn of the 15th century when a second storey was added. The changes throughout the centuries are still visible in the stonework of the building and Francesca pointed them out or I would almost certainly have missed them. The courtyard, though small, is magnificent and you can almost imagine Romeo calling out Juliet as she stood expectantly in the first floor terrace. I love the small fountain modeled after the one in the Benedictine cloister in Monreale. I have photos of myself and one of my sisters, taken in the cloister, all those years ago when we were in our twenties – slim and unwrinkled. We loved that cloister as I now love this tasteful courtyard in which every stone must have something to say, if only it could speak.

We walked through the refectory which probably dates to the medieval period, with its thick walls and display cabinet. It has lashings of ambience and plenty of interesting details. One can imagine that it may have been a place for informal meals and idle conversation. It reminded me of the Villa San Michele in Capri where there is a similar kitchen. However, Palazzo Falson’s history is infinitely more districtive than Alex Munthe’s villa even if the latter has a breath-taking view of the Bay of Naples and superb gardens.

Olaf Gollcher’s collection of arms and armoury is displayed in a narrow room with cabinets of pistols, spurs, guns, revolvers. There is also an Oriental section. I am completely disinterested in arms and armoury but Francesca pointed out the chastity belt on display in this section, the first I had ever seen. Although they may have been merely symbolic perhaps we should think of reintroducing chastity belts to stop these gum-chewing young harlots from having sex-a-gogo and producing more illegitimate babies.

We moved on to the kitchen. Olaf Gollcher is said to have referred to the kitchen affectionately as his trattoria. It is dominated by a large fireplace decorated with maiolica tiles. The large wood-burning oven nearby, too is surrounded with blue and white tiles. One imagines that throughout the years the owners of this home must have had plenty of domestic help to keep it all clean. I cannot imagine that Olaf Gollcher’s wife, Nella, would have been the one tweaking the cushions and re-arranging the furniture. There is a trapdoor in front of the fireplace which leads to a wine cellar. I did not ask Francesca if we could explore it. The copper pots, pans, kettles and jelly moulds are spotless and glisten. As a nation we love brass and it can still be found in many a Maltese home to this day.

Chev. Gollcher was not only an admirer of the arts and a collector but also painted in oils and produced etchings and lithographs. It is not difficult to imagine him painting away in his studio which gave me the feeling that he might come in at any moment. He obviously had creative flair and must have bounced from one project to another and from one exciting challenge to the next which beckoned. He was an active member of a group of artists known as the Confraternità della Pipa and they had a seat in Via Margutta in Rome. I recall that in my 20s upon every visit to Rome we made it a point of visiting this street which became famous in the 1950s after the film Roman Holiday.

The silver collection in the strongroom is truly magnificent and the landing on the upper floor has many a harbour view and objets d’art relating to shipping. Everyone knows that the Gollchers have been operating ships from Malta since O.F. Gollcher & Sons Company was founded in 1854. They are leading shipping agents to this day.

The intimate study contains Dürer engravings and prints by Salvator Rosa and in the Small Collections Room Francesca pointed out certain items of particular importance. One of them was a fob watch by the Paris maker Robert Robin. Another is an open-faced quarter-repeating fob watch by the Swiss watchmaker Vacheron Constantin.

There are three main reception rooms – or sale nobili in the Palazzo and the three exude elegance. I loved the combination of gold walls, damask curtains, dark paintings, leather chairs and inlaid chests of drawers. Francesca explained how some of the curtains which are very old we ‘saved’ by engaging seamstresses who repaired them very carefully and handled them with great delicacy. There are several museum-quality paintings and one of the most important is a Mattia Preti – Lucretia Stabbing Herself. I have no idea which Lucretia but it was not Borgia that colourful woman of the Italian Renaissance, the illegitimate daughter of Pope Alexander VI and who was betrothed twice before she was eleven years of age. She died after a difficult pregnancy and not by stabbing herself. There are stiff portraits of fat and thin women, nymphs, goddesses, several delightful putti, rural scenes, still lifes, beautiful framed fans and lace and exquisite bas reliefs. And it is Francesca who taught me what a vanitas is for there is one by Juriaen Van Streek (can’t pronounce it!) in the drawing room. ‘The Latin word ‘vanitas’ means emptiness or fickleness,’ she explained. The vanitas theme in paintings was very popular in post-Reformation Europe, especially in Holland. Drawing inspiration from the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament, these paintings served as a reminder that all the beauty and pleasures of earthly life are transient, and that one should focus on one’s mortality and the soul’s redemption. Francesca pointed out that although the painting contains lovely objects – a violin, a beautiful plumed helmet, books – it also includes references to man’s mortality, such as the human skull, and an hourglass. Musical instruments represent the pleasures of the senses and are also the ultimate vanitas symbol seeing that music ends as soon as it begins.

The dining room is dominated by a magnificent fireplace, the hood of which, bears Grand Master l’Isle Adam’s coat-of-arms and an inscription commemorating his visit to the Palazzo. He stayed there between 20 October and 5 November 1530 when he visited Mdina soon after the arrival of the Knights from Rhodes. The dining room table is laid out with a fine array of silverware. Also gracing the table are a selection of fine Venetian glasses which I don’t suppose are dishwasher-friendly.

I admired the chapel with its several icons and learnt that those who painted them prepared themselves for their work by fasting and praying.

We stepped into the library with Olaf Gollcher’s collection of over 4,500 books. There is a ladder and a walkway so that one can reach the upper shelves.

The Master Bedroom has a rich interior with its Old Gold walls, its pair of silk embroideed panels, a beautifully carved cabinet which contains some of Olaf Gollcher’s personal effects as well as other interesting objects including a mandarin fan and a Maltese lace fan.

At the end of the tour which I would have liked to go on and on, we went upstairs for a light lunch and Verna Galea who runs the café looked after us. They serve pies, home made sandwiches served with a fresh salad and crisps, and dips, Fontanella cake, ice cream and the usual array of coffee, herbal teas, juices and so on.  

We sat inside as it seemed as if it was going to rain but the roofs of Mdina are a spectacle from anywhere. Francesca told me that in the coming months visitors can sit on the terrace and enjoy lingering over a bottle of chilled white wine and a light lunch. ‘In case of inclement weather we have two different rooms and both are air conditioned/heated.’

There is also something for the kids. ‘We hold workshops and lectures for the kids. These have been successful so far and the children love them. From time to time we also hold private corporate events in one of the rooms.’

A visit to Palazzo Falson is one beautiful way of clasping history in your hands. I shall certainly go again. (Tel: 2145 4512, 2145 1021; [email protected]; www.palazzofalson.com)

I am not going to comment on the vile paedophile priests who abused the children at Casa San Guzepp and the fact that this case has been going on for some seven years – one priest is apparently on his death bed so he will never have to face those children in court. One can only hope that there is a hell. Apart from my editor David Lindsay’s excellent interview which appeared a couple of weeks ago in our daily, another excellent article I have read was that of Claire Bonello, the columnist of The Sunday Times. How many of us did not cry when we saw the photo of the handsome – but so vulnerable, Lawrence Grech in that interview. Read the full interview with more photos – yes, of the boys dressed up as girls - at the blog www.clairescomment.wordpress.com. The press must not let go of this case. We must go on pressing for justice to be done – at last.