Auberge d'Angleterre: A Hospitaller Relic in Birgu

Auberge d'Angleterre, also known as the Inn of England, is a historic building located in Birgu (Vittoriosa), Malta. Constructed around 1534, it served as the lodging for the Knights of the Order of Saint John from the langue of England. The Auberge incorporates an earlier single-story building that belonged to a Maltese woman, Catherine Abela, before being sold to Sir Clement West, who then donated it to the langue of England. A first floor was added when the house was converted into the langue's headquarters.The Auberge is built in the Melitan style, showcasing traditional Maltese architectural elements. It features a two-story structure with rooms arranged around a central courtyard. The façade is simple, adorned with a central doorway topped by a circular window and flanked by windows on either side. An overhanging open balcony sits above the doorway on the first floor, also flanked by windows. The doors and windows are decorated with Melitan mouldings.Due to the English Reformation in the mid-16th century, the English langue was suppressed, and no English auberge was built in Valletta when the Order moved their capital in the 1570s. The langue was re-established as the Anglo-Bavarian Langue in 1782 and housed in a former palace known as Auberge de Bavière. Throughout its history, Auberge d'Angleterre has served various purposes, including a public library and the Three Cities Foundation. Today, it houses the Vittoriosa Health Centre. Auberge d'Angleterre is a Grade 1 national monument and is listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.