Photographing Malta’s Balconies: When a Detail Becomes a Discovery
Travel photos we love to take again and again
Most travellers love taking photographs when they visit foreign countries. Looking back over the thousands of photos from previous trips, we may notice repeated objects or landscapes that not only symbolize a particular place and time, but also become something more, something we might call iconic or signature shots.
Prairie sunsets are so well known, for example, that I find myself photographing sunsets in other countries as well when I travel. Interesting road signs are another fascinating subject that make me reach for my iPhone camera. And I know I’m not the only one. Ann Marie, Travel & Culture’s co-writer, likes to photograph doorknobs. Some travellers prefer architectural features like staircases or gargoyles on old buildings. Urban art has become something of an obsession for some, and many people can’t take a bite of a restaurant meal without snapping a photo of it first (including me).
On my recent trip to Malta, it was balconies.
I became fascinated with the balconies I saw in every town and city I visited. Malta’s buildings have a characteristic yellow or gold hue that some sources say comes from the globigerina limestone in the area. And on most of the buildings, balconies of different shapes and sizes crop up. Some balconies are open with intricate railings made of metal or wood. These appear modern and functional, giving people a place to cool off in the hot weather (or hang laundry, as we did in the apartment where I stayed in Buggiba, Malta). Others are obviously older and more ornate, and often the old and the new exist side by side.
Maltese Gallarija at the Grand Master’s Palace
The Maltese style of enclosed balcony called the gallarija has historical and architectural significance, dating back to the 1600s. The first example is thought to have graced the Grand Master’s Palace by about 1675. This 450-year-old building was constructed by the Knights of St. John to defend Malta from attack. It’s a major tourist attraction in Valetta today, and balconies are only part of its well-deserved reputation. It also houses a multi-media historical timeline that traces the knights’ history, a long Armory room housing their 350-year collection of weapons and armour, and the political offices of Malta’s current president. It has also served as a venue for international exhibits such as the 2026 Malta Biennale.
The palace also has some of the most famous and unique gallerija. There’s a great story about Grand Master Nicholas Cottoner (1660-80) strolling around his gallarija, essentially spying on his knights in the courtyard. “If he sees two knights ambling together, he immediately perceives their thoughts and the subject of their conversation, as he knows the minds of all those he governs, and the secret practices of their intrigues,” wrote Sieur de Bachelier (Nouvelle Relation, Paris, 1679, public domain.)
Looking at the massive green balcony that extends around the corner of the Grand Master’s Palace today, it’s easy to imagine someone hidden behind the curtains, observing everything on the street.
Other ornate balconies also appear at the palace, like this one in the courtyard.
Baroque style and ornamentation
The architectural style of a Maltese enclosed balcony is associated with Baroque art, a highly ornate, dramatic, and extravagant style from the 17th Century. Baroque artists like Caravaggio and Rembrandt used techniques like chiaroscuro, or extreme contrasts between light and shadow. If Baroque is your jam, Malta is one of the best places to visit. (I confess to being fascinated by Baroque art since viewing the film Caravaggio back in 1986 with a group of artists and actors, and the discussion over drinks afterward that lasted well after midnight.)
During the Baroque period, Maltese gallerija became more curved and sinuous, whereas today’s balconies are more box-shaped. Still, the ornamentation on Maltese balconies today can be extreme, as this nighttime image shows.
Malta’s gallarija style is a colourful mix of Arab and European influences from several countries. The name comes from an Italian word galleria, which refers to a long, windowed, corridor-like structure. Italian is a major influence on the Maltese language, still understood by over 60% of Maltese people today, after English at a surprising 96% and Maltese at 90%. But in Malta, the word means balcony.
Part of Maltese Culture
The gallerija is also an important part of Maltese culture. Inside their gallerija, people would sit on tall stools similar to today’s bar stools, to keep an eye on their neighbours and the activities on the street below them. The windows open to allow cool air in, but the shades can be drawn for privacy when desired.
Another part of Malta’s culture that makes balconies important is the tradition of washing clothing by hand and hanging it to dry. This tradition was never more apparent than in the village of Fontana, Gozo, with this display.
Will I keep taking photographs of balconies, now that I’m home again? Maybe not. Maybe staircases will become my next obsession. But I will certainly continue photographing sunsets and road signs. And it’s great when the two can be combined, as in this sign near Golden Bay in Malta.
What are some of the things you like to photograph when you travel? Leave a comment and let’s start a conversation.
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I couldn’t find any interesting doorknobs today, but check out these balconies!
As a former criminal lawyer, this essay made me smile.
One of the most memorable cross-examinations of my career involved a senior police officer who revealed that some of his most reliable intelligence sources weren't informants at all. They were elderly women sitting on their balconies in the early hours of the morning. They knew who came home, who left, who met whom, and when. His morning routine often included a "balcony tour" to harvest what they had observed overnight.
Your essay reminded me that balconies are much more than architectural features. They are quiet observation posts where ordinary people become historians of the street.