Heritage Malta's restoration works on the Main Guard's façade and portico in St. George's Square, Valletta, have been completed, the Ministry for Culture said.

The government said that through this restoration process, the Main Guard's portico's nineteenth century colour scheme has been reintegrated into the building's design.

Meanwhile, structural works on this building's interior are progressing at a rapid pace, the Ministry said.

The Main Guard, which is located opposite the Grandmaster's Palace in St. George's Square, Valletta, was built towards the end of the sixteenth century and began serving as the palace's guardhouse in 1604.

The building retained this function for over 350 years, until the early 1970s - even being named "Main Guard" by the British while they ruled over Malta.

Under the British, the building façade was replaced with a neoclassical portico and several internal changes were also made, such as the first-floor room becoming the Officers' Mess.

Extensive restoration has been carried out on the portico area, including the repair and replacement of wooden beams whose state of preservation was noted to be very poor.

The cement coating was stripped and interventions were made to recreate the original effect of the groove without altering the historic stonework.

Other restoration work included the conservation of the historic clock and iron lanterns, plus the restoration of the flagstone floor, the main door, and all openings in the portico area.

The British coat of arms that dominates the façade was also conserved. The Culture Ministry said that this requires further restoration which will be carried out in the future.

Culture Minister Owen Bonnici said that this restoration is an important step to continue protecting and valuing our historical heritage, while strengthening Malta's and Valletta's cultural identity. He noted that projects like these display the commitment that there is to keep Malta's beauty and history alive and accessible to all.

Heritage Malta CEO Noel Zammit said that this is another project that demonstrates the agency's commitment to accessibility in practice.

"When a heritage site like the Main Guard is opened up for public enjoyment, it not only remains part of history but is also woven into the daily lives of people today and tomorrow, becoming relevant to audiences now and in the future," Zammit said.

Heritage Malta's restoration of the Main Guard features internal and external works, such as the restoration of all wooden apertures, interventions on its wooden beams, extensive waterproofing measures, adding infrastructure for visitor accessibility, as well as interior and exterior cladding and painting works. The large number of squares painted on the walls of the Officers' Mess by British soldiers have also been restored.

Throughout these restoration works, a number of other drawings are currently being discovered and restored in the rooms adjacent to the main hall.

These works included comprehensive stratigraphic research by Heritage Malta conservators to better understand the historical layers of colour on the Main Guard's portico walls.

The scheme adopted reflects the "typical Victorian decoration" shown of the Main Guard's façade dating back to between 1860 and 1880, and in photographs from 1919. These specific shades have evolved with aesthetic trends over time.

Today, the façade is painted a pinkish hue with colour only applied to distinguish its architectural elements, as was practice in the Victorian era.

Heritage Malta's main objective in this project is to transform the Main Guard - a significant part of St. George's Square's surroundings - into a "dynamic cultural attraction" to enrich visitor experience in the capital.

The agency's vision for the Main Guard includes an immersive digital experience on the ground floor that transports visitors across 8,000 years of Maltese history. It also envisions an immersive experience in the Officers' Mess on the first floor.

Having always been closed to the public, except for occasional open days, the historic building will now play a new role in the cultural and social backdrop of the Capital City, the Culture Ministry stated.

This entire project is planned to be completed by the end of 2027. Also present for this visit was Valletta Mayor Olaf McKay.