Maltese Architecture

80 year old apartment buildings in Sliema, Malta

Malta has an abundance of limestone in various quarries, and so most of the buildings are made of limestone, mostly stone slabs that are put together with mortar, similar to brickwork. Most of our big buildings like churches and palaces are also made from limestone, and they have lasted 4, 5, 6 centuries and more. 

A typical modern house in St. Julian's, Malta

The accompanying photos show some of the residential buildings, some of which are decades old and others more modern. Roofs are made of concrete, but everything else is constructed of limestone. Rubble walls are also popular, especially in the countryside, but are also being incorporated with new structures. (more tomorrow)

The facade of a typical 1950s style house in Sliema, with a wooden balcony.

More balconies from the 1940s in Sliema, all from limestone.