When one enters the suburb of Floriana one immediately notices the recognisable lion fountain in St Anne's Street. This fountain immediately reminds us of the person who was the mastermind behind Floriana as his emblem is sculpted on it. This of course is Anton Manoel de Vilhena, whose 300th year anniversary since his election as Grand Master we are commemorating this year.

Vilhena left his mark practically on all corners of the island. Here I tried as much as possible to mention some of the lesser known historical aspects of this noble knight of the Order.

Anton Manoel de Vilhena was born on 9 June 1663 in Lisbon, Portugal to a noble family that was related to King Ferdinand II of Castile. Prior to his entry into the Order, Vilhena had to do about two years of military service with them. Following this, Vilhena became a member of the Order of St John, dedicating his life in service to the poor and the defence of Catholicism.

In 1692 he became the commander of the Order's grand ship, San Antonio. He would eventually also be selected as general of the Maltese military due to his gentle and educated nature.

On 16 June 1722, Vilhena's predecessor, Grand Master Zondadari died. On 19 June of that same year, Vilhena was elected as the new Grand Master of the Order.

Of the many projects carried out under Grand Master Vilhena, one can mention the construction of Fort Manoel, which was built to complement the fortifications and security of Valletta. At Mdina, the emblem of Vilhena is sculpted on the entrance to the old city as extensive work was done on this, along with the fortifications, following the great earthquake of 1693. Vilhena was also known for his frequency in commissioning works of art and architecture in the Baroque style. One of the best examples of such a work is Palazzo Vilhena, a palace Vilhena built for himself in the city of Mdina. Another building commissioned by Vilhena is a country lodge that served as his summer residency in Santa Venera which, although simpler in design when compared to the Palazzo Vilhena, has an elaborate style of its own when compared to the buildings surrounding it, and is an example of French Baroque influence. This structure is popularly known as the House of the Lions due to the four stone lions on the entrance.

The Manoel Theatre in Valletta is perhaps one of Vilhena's most significant commissions. The theatre used to host numerous operas and plays, and because of this the general population began growing in interest in the subject. The Manoel is considered the third oldest theatre in Europe and still functions to this day. Prior to its building, plays and operas were held at the respective Auberges of the organisers. The design of the Manoel Theatre is likely inspired by the Palermo one.

De Vilhena's greatest commission however has to be without a shadow of a doubt the construction of Floriana. What today is the police H.Q. in Floriana was orignally built as a Conservatorio, which had the purpose of welcoming inside it poor young women who would learn how to work traditional crafts. In 1729, Vilhena also founded the Casa degli Invalidi,  the House of the Invalid. This building was used to house the elderly as well as patients with mental illnesses. The Grand Master also gifted Floriana the land on which the St Publius parish church would be built. The first stone was laid on 2 August 1733 in the presence of the Grand Master himself. Although Vilhena wanted to dedicate the church to his namesake saint, Anthony, he conceded to the popular wish of the locals for it to be dedicated to St Publius, the first Maltese bishop and saint.

Apart from Malta, Vilhena also left his mark on the sister island, Gozo. There he constructed a hospital, known today as the Victoria Hospital, designed by Mondion. It was blessed by Bishop de Bussan and inaugurated on 14 October, 1729. Vilhena also ordered the restoration of the Cittadel while in Gozo, as well as the building of what is today the Municipal building in the main Rabat square in the Baroque style.

De Vilhena's health began taking a downward trend in 1736. He died on 12 December of that same year.This was followed by days of mourning by the local population who thought highly of the benevolent Grand Master.

It is only just that such a noble, practical and generous man as Vilhena himself is remembered even 300 years after his election as Grand Master. We as a people ought to be proud that in the past we had leaders of such a high caliber, and having a man like Vilhena as a reference point would serve us well during the contemporary assault on anything which contains beauty, harmony, intellect and religiosity.