The Devil's Farmhouse

The Devil's Farmhouse
View of The Devil's Farmhouse
General information
Status	Intact
Type	Farmhouse Stables Horse-riding school
Architectural style	Vernacular
Location	Mellieha, Malta
Coordinates	35°57′21″N 14°20′59″E / 35.95583°N 14.34972°E / 35.95583; 14.34972
Named for	The devil
Completed	18th century
Owner	Government of Malta
Technical details
Material	Limestone
Floor count	1
Design and construction
Architect	Unknown

The Devil's Farmhouse, also known in Maltese as Ir-Razzett tax-Xitan, and officially as Ir-Razzett Tax-Xjaten (The Farmhouse of the Devils or The Devils' Farmhouse), is an 18th-century farmhouse in Mellieha, Malta. The farmhouse features two unconnected buildings. The original scope for the buildings were to function as stables and a horse-riding school (Cavalerizza).

At one point the buildings were converted into farmhouses between different farmers, and the buildings underwent some structural changes. A national Maltese myth claims the it was built by the devil, a tale from which it derives its historic name. It is a national monument and in a dilapidated state.

The Devil's Farmhouse was built in the 18th century during the rule of the Knights Hospitallers to be used as a horse stable. It is found in an area known as Ta' Randa very close to L-Ghar ta' Zamberat (Ta' Zamberat's Cave). The farmhouse stands away from urban development in isolation. Attributed to the farmhouse is a Maltese myth that the farmhouse was built by the devil (or devils) in one day (or three days). The only architectural feature that gives the impression of relating to demonic icons are the two enclosed staircases, that lead to the roof of the stable, which are suggested to appear as two horns.

There is also a traditional carnival song (or poem) that mentions Ta' Randa and the devil. The song (or poem) named Il-Karnival goes to say as the following:

Għax il-festa tax-xitan
Ix-xitan irid ikanta
Għandu denbu daqs ta' Randa.

Very roughly translated, this text announces the feast of the devil at the site.

The building has a simple and modest vernacular architecture, with slit windows, that function as ventilators, and waterspouts. It has no inscriptions or symbols to shed further information about its use apart from some roman numbers (i.e. I, II, III) that were inscribed when it was converted to a farmhouse. These are found on the walls and woods, and record the sale of products (different types of vegetables) of farmers with lack of education. The features of the building are good examples of Maltese traditional architecture that include, roofs built with limestone slabs and animal feeding mangers. Despite the conversion to a farmhouse the building clearly does not resemble to be originally built to be used as such as it is not a traditional Maltese farm building. This and the position of the mangers (feed-trough) prove that the building was built for horses. These characteristics may suggest that the building may have been a cow farm. The high roof of one of the buildings still prove that it was unlikely to be built originally as a cow farm, but it may be speculative to say that at one point it had been so.