One of the oldest towns in Malta, Ħaż-Żebbuġ and its surrounding areas have been inhabited since prehistoric times – however, the town as we know it today originated in the 14th century, when the three small hamlets of Ħal-Dwin, Ħal-Muxi and Ħal-Mula were joined together.

During the time of the Order of St John, Żebbuġ grew rich in status – owing to its important location between the old capital of Mdina and the new capital of Valletta, but also due to the major role it played in the cotton industry and the presence of prominent corsairs who lived there. In fact, in 1777, Grand Master Emmanuel de Rohan-Polduc granted Żebbuġ the status of a city, Citta’ Rohan, with its motto, ‘Semper virens’, aptly reflecting the countryside and valleys surrounding it. 

This historic importance is reflected in the architecture of Żebbuġ. Entering Żebbuġ, one is greeted by the de Rohan Arch, erected by Grand Master de Rohan upon bestowing the status of a city. The parish church itself, designed by Tumas Dingli, is another exemplar – magnificent in stature, the church vaunts a titular painting by Luca Garnier and two murals by Francesco Zahra, a Maltese painter of the Favray school. 

One of the palazzo’s unique features is a private theatre on the ground floor

The city’s architectural richness is also reflected in its private dwellings – with palazzos and country houses still standing proudly, especially in the area surrounding the parish church. 

One such architectural wonder is Palazzo Buleben, which the locals refer to as ‘il-Palazz tal-Baruni’. 

Once the home of Baron Gaetano Azzopardi, a medical professional who worked in the infirmary of the Order of St John, the palazzo is built on two floors. An imposing central doorway is flanked on both sides by service rooms. The main residence of the Azzopardi family was on the piano nobile, where halls have neck-achingly high ceilings – the height-to-width ratio of the halls reflect the original owners’ intention to build one of the finest palazzos of the island. 

The palazzo is surrounded by large gardens of different sizes, featuring the original water channelling used for irrigation. A nearby chapel, dedicated to Our Lady of Forsaken Souls, forms part of the property. 

History has been kind to the palazzo – and several architectural features have survived. One of the palazzo’s unique features is a private theatre on the ground floor – which was once used for the entertainment of the residents and their guests. This theatre still has most of the original wall paintings and decorative elements.

Some of the halls are also decorated with trompe-l’oeil murals of imaginary architectural features – while the detailing, including decorative stone carvings and wrought iron work are testament to Palazzo Buleben’s noble standing.

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This article was first published in Perry magazine.