Auberge de Provence
| Auberge de Provence | |
|---|---|
| Berġa ta' Provenza | |
Façade of Auberge de Provence
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| General information | |
| Status | Intact |
| Type | Auberge |
| Architectural style | Mannerist |
| Location | Valletta, Malta |
| Coordinates | 35°53′51″N 14°30′45″E / 35.89750°N 14.51250°ECoordinates: 35°53′51″N 14°30′45″E / 35.89750°N 14.51250°E |
| Current tenants | National Museum of Archaeology |
| Construction started | 1570s |
| Renovated | 1638 |
| Owner | Government of Malta |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Limestone |
| Floor count | 2 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Girolamo Cassar |
| Renovating team | |
| Architect | Mederico Blondel |
Auberge de Provence (Maltese: Berġa ta' Provenza) is an auberge in Valletta, Malta. It was built in the sixteenth century to house knights of the Order of Saint John from the langue of Provence. It now houses the National Museum of Archaeology.
Auberge de Provence was first built in 1571 or 1574–75 to a design by Girolamo Cassar. Prior to its construction, the Langue of Provence had been housed in the Auberge d'Auvergne et Provence in Birgu.
The building was extensively renovated in the 17th century. Its façade was redesigned in 1638 by the architect Mederico Blondel, and a new wing was built instead of a small square.
In 1798, the Order lost Malta to the French, and the auberge was vacated. After the islands fell under British rule in 1800, it was used for a variety of purposes, including a hotel and a military barracks. In 1826, the upper part of the auberge was leased to the Malta Union Club, and the lease was set to expire in 2002. The lease extended to the entire building in 1903.
The building was included on the Antiquities List of 1925 together with the other auberges in Valletta. In World War II, buildings located close to the auberge were destroyed by aerial bombardment, but the auberge itself was not hit. Since Auberge d'Auvergne and Auberge de France were both destroyed during the war, Auberge de Provence is the only surviving French auberge in Valletta.
On 12 August 1955, the lease to the Malta Union Club was terminated, and building was opened as the National Museum (now known as the National Museum of Archaeology) in 1958 by the Minister of Education Agatha Barbara. It houses many artifacts dating back to the Neolithic up to the Phoenician Period.
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