History On Its Walls

A palatial villa in Lija has been sensitively restored to combine modern, luxurious living within a noble 18th-century setting.

“A restoration and conservation of the property, while upgrading the infrastructure and services to modern day standards”

The Lija Belvedere Tower must be one of the most beautiful roundabouts ever built. Yet it was obviously not originally built as a roundabout – but is a victim to tarmac, which left it stranded in the middle of Transfiguration Avenue. Built in the 19th century, the original context of the tower was not a road, but the beautiful gardens of a nearby villa – indeed, the entrance to the folly is directly in line with access to the garden from the villa.

A little imagination hints at the original grandeur of this Lija villa, when the Belvedere acted a folly in the property’s gardens – and when, indeed, the whole of Transfiguration Avenue was part of the grounds of the same palatial villa.
Today, the villa’s grounds are a fraction of the original size – and its vast orange groves were fragmented to build smaller villa residences.

And yet, the recently restored villa – which is also scheduled as a Grade 1 national monument – still exudes nobility, history and unique architectural features. Built as a country residence in 1709 by a gentleman who occupied several prestigious posts in the administration of Malta, the villa was architecturally modelled on similar residences in Palermo, Catania and Syracuse in Sicily.

In 2011, the present owner, a direct descendant of the original owners, started a restoration and conservation of the property, while upgrading the infrastructure and services to modern day standards. The restoration was to the highest standards – and was worthy of a Din L-Art Ħelwa Award for Architectural Heritage in 2015.

That this villa is unique is clear from the very entrance, which, through a barrel-vaulted hallway paved in marble, leads to four main rooms: a library and study, a formal sitting room, a dining room and a family living room. The hallway vault and ceilings in three rooms are decorated with painted ceilings. The end of the hallway opens onto a wide stone terrace with stairs on either side leading to the garden and swimming pool area.

The family living room leads to a newly built annexe, incorporating a large modern kitchen, guest toilet, two guest/staff double bedrooms, each with an en-suite shower, and access to the internal yard. The internal yard, which is accessible from the road by a remote-controlled roll-up door, also serves as a services entrance and a drive-in parking area for two large cars.
The first floor is accessible through a wide marble staircase or a six-passenger lift. A large landing leads to three double bedrooms, with the main one having a dressing room and a large bathroom with shower. The other two bedrooms have their own shower facilities.

A lobby off the main staircase leads to a laundry room and pantry, while a spiral staircase leads to an intermediate level and the roof.
Adding to the uniqueness of the villa are the garden and basement.

The garden, surrounded by high walls, is formal in nature. The wide pathways were designed on the style of a jardin a la Francaise, with a central fountain with original statuary dividing the paths. The open-sided tea rooms at the back of the garden provide a quiet place that is also perfect for entertaining. The swimming pool is equipped with Jacuzzi and leads to a sun deck with barbeque area. Underground water cisterns provide enough water for garden irrigation and swimming pool replenishment.

The large basement has the same layout and rooms as the upper floors, including a historically unique 18th-century kitchen, with original features such as a functional wood oven and several large stone tables. These rooms have been fully restored with amenities such as a gym, wine cellar and entertainment area, further adding to the perfect marriage of modern living within a historic context.

This incredible property is part of our lettings portfolio > Property ref: HC600088

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