Gerolamo Cassar

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Gerolamo Cassar (also Girolamo or Glormu in Maltese ) (* around 1520 in Birgu ; † 1586–92) was the first Maltese architect.

His ancestors came from Sicily and came to Malta around 1440.

After the siege of Malta (1565) he helped Francesco Laparelli to rebuild the destroyed fortresses and to build the fortified city of Valletta . He also invented some war machines.

He lived with his wife Mattea and two sons (Vittorio later also became an architect) and three daughters in Valletta on Strada Pia (today Melita Str.).

After Laparelli left Malta in 1569, he took over his work. Most of the fortifications were finished and the order was now looking for someone to design the city's buildings. Since he had never designed sacred or civil buildings, the order sent him to Italy. It was assumed that he would study the Renaissance buildings in Rome and Naples. He may have left Malta on April 23, 1569, but it is not documented that he ever left the island. However, its buildings show similarities in the style of Italian architecture. He must have returned by the end of 1569.

In addition to bakeries, mills and private houses, the following buildings are attributed to him in Valletta:

  • Auberge de Castille, Leon et Portugal (1574) on the "Piazza de Castille" was the palace of the "Knights of the Spanish and Portuguese Tongues". It was originally built in the straightforward, inconspicuous Renaissance style, but was given a new facade in 1744 during the tenure of Grand Minister Pinto. Today it serves as the official residence of the Prime Minister of Malta.
  • Auberge d'Italie (1574) on the corner of Merchant Street and South Street was the palazzo of the "Knights of the Italian Tongue",
  • St. Paul's Shipwreck Church , was remodeled in 1629 according to Lornzo Gafa's plans
  • Church of St. Catherine of Italy at the beginning of Merchand Street was the church of the "Knights of the Italian Tongue".
  • Auberge de Provence was one of the three auberges of the French knights.
  • St. John's Co-Cathedral (1573 to 1577) built as a convent church of the order and consecrated as a convent church to St. John the Baptist on February 20, 1573. It is a simple, somewhat austere church that looks almost inconspicuous. It took almost a hundred years before the interior was finished.
  • Grand Master's Palace (1570 to 1580)
  • Predecessor of the Carmelite Church from 1570 destroyed in World War II

Outside Valletta he built:

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personal data
SURNAME Cassar, Gerolamo
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Cassar, Girolamo; Cassar, Glormu
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Maltese architect
DATE OF BIRTH around 1520
PLACE OF BIRTH Birgu
DATE OF DEATH between 1586 and 1592