the museum's collections also include a number of wooden architectural models of destroyed landmarks, including representations of Birgu before the World War II bombings, the Order's bakery in Valletta before it was demolished in the 1930s, and the Manderaggio before it was rebuilt in the 1950s. The Inquisitor's Palace is one of the few surviving palaces of its kind around the world, and the only one which is open to the public. Many buildings used by the inquisition were destroyed during and after the French Revolution, or were left to decay over the centuries. The summer residence of Malta's inquisitor, Girgenti Palace, has also survived and it is now the summer residence of the Prime Minister of Malta. The building was included on the Antiquities List of 1925. It is now a Grade 1 national monument, and it is also listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. Architecture The Inquisitor's Palace is built in a number of architectural styles, but overall it resembles a Roman palazzo. It has a symmetrical façade which is divided by piers into five bays. The piers on the ground floor are rusticated, while those on the first floor are smooth-faced. The central bay contains the main doorway on the ground floor, above which is an open balcony supported on corbels. Two windows flank either side of the central bay, and they have rusticated surrounds on the ground floor and mouldings on the first floor. A string course runs along the first floor window sill level. The façade also has a socle to make up for the steep slope of the street. Since the building was constructed over the course of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, with further alterations and restorations in the 19th and 20th centuries, its interior has a labyrinthine plan. One of the courtyards has a Gothic groin vault cloister, and this is the only part of the building that remains from the Castellania. See also Girgenti Palace, originally the inquisitor's summer residence Further reading Il-Palazz ta' l-Inkwizitur tal-Birgu Remains At Inquisitor’s Palace date back to pre-Knights period Folklore museum opening References Bibliography Bonnici, Alessandro (1968). L'Inquisizione di Malta 1561-1798. Melita Historica. Retrieved on 2 August 2016. External links Heritage Malta Palaces in Birgu Buildings and structures completed in the 16th century Limestone buildings in Malta Inquisition in Malta Former courthouses in Malta Defunct prisons in