Villa Guardamangia

Situated halfway on Guardamangia Hill, Villa Guardamangia is one of the earliest surviving residences in the locality of Pietà, dating back to the 18th century. Whilst the entire history and date of construction of the villa is yet to be found, enough has been dug up to nurture an appreciation for the evolution of the building, the locality, and the people who lived there. The concept of the property is essentially a holiday home, away from the urban confines of the Grand Harbour. The wealthiest among Maltese society sought a villa as their retreat, however, many from the middle class settled on a smaller house. Whether a countryside palace, villa, or house, the main feature of the property would often be the gardens. To date, research has provided many insights as to how the property and the locality developed over the course of three centuries. The earliest reference dates back to the 18th century, offered as part of the dowry for the marriage between Lorenzo Fontani and Giovanna Cres