WATCH: Local explorer & his uncle share detailed historic facts about the stunning Selmun Palace
Local explorer Conrad Neil Gatt went on yet another adventure, this time with a special someone. Conrad ventured off to the stunning Selmun Palace with his uncle Paul Borg, “the man who knows this Palace more than anyone else, outside, inside and also beneath,” he shares in the video’s caption.
Although having grown up in Balzan and lived most of his life in Birkirkara, Paul spent summer holidays with his Nanna Guzeppa and Nannu Pawlu. “I love this place,” he says, noting that it was once a completely rural area, “full of goats, full of farmers working in the fields.” Paul says that in less than one generation, Selmun has changed from a purely agricultural area into a touristic place.
Selmun Palace isn’t open to the public to freely access, however Conrad and Paul managed to get an appointment to venture inside the Palace. “It was built roughly in 1780, at the very end of the Knights’ stay in Malta,” Paul continues, saying it was built under the reign of Grand Master de Rohan. The architect who built the magnificent palace was Duminku Cachia who worked a lot on buildings done by the other famous Maltese architect, Gilormu Cassar centuries before.
Paul gives a passionate, detailed account of Selmun Palace’s history, structure and surroundings, even noting that although it was built to potential be used in battle should the need arise, it thankfully was never used in that fashion.
Watch Conrad and his uncle Paul’s adventure to Selmun below:
This is Part 1 of Conrad’s adventure to Selmun Palace. We can’t wait to see what Part 2 will be like!