page_title: Saint John's Cavalier
section_title: Embassy
hierarchical_section_title: Saint John's Cavalier / History / Embassy
caption_attribution_description: English: Door of the embassy of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in Valletta (Kavalier San Gwann). Français&#160;: Porte de l'ambassade de l'Ordre souverain militaire hospitalier de Saint-Jean de Jérusalem, de Rhodes et de Malte à La Valette.
context_page_description: Saint John's Cavalier is a 16th-century cavalier in Valletta, Malta, which was built by the Order of St. John. It overlooks St. John's Bastion, a large obtuse-angled bastion forming part of the Valletta Land Front. St. John was one of nine planned cavaliers in the city, although eventually only two were built, the other one being the identical Saint James Cavalier. It was designed by the Italian military engineer Francesco Laparelli, while its construction was overseen by his Maltese assistant Girolamo Cassar.
  The cavalier is located close to the City Gate Arcade and Hastings Gardens. Today, the cavalier is the embassy of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, the successor of the Order who built it in the first place.
context_section_description: In 1967, the Government of Malta leased the cavalier to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, the successor of the Order of St. John, for 99 years. The SMOM established its embassy in Malta there, and it was restored under the direction of ambassador Dino Marrajeni, and the Maltese engineer Roger de Giorgio, an expert on restoration of historical buildings. Within two years restoration was complete, and while modern alterations were made, care was taken to preserve all the original features of the building. An unobtrusive penthouse was built on the cavalier's roof as the residence of the Head of the Mission, and from it one can see an excellent view of the city below as well as the surrounding towns and villages.
  The incumbent ambassador is HE Ing. Umberto Di Capua.
  The cavalier is scheduled as a Grade 1 national monument, and it is also listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.
caption: The cavalier houses the embassy of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta
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