Seventeenth-century building engineering in the central Mediterranean : A case study from Malta

Abstract

Masonry and architecture are synonymous in built heritage which is erected in local stone. The Maltese archipelago, located in the central Mediterranean, is no exception. Malta is geo-culturally rich in architectural heritage dating back to the Neolithic Period and reaching a peak during the rule of the Hospitaller Order of St John. This paper studies the engineering and construction of seventeenth-century residential architecture in Malta through a representative case-study of the period: Casa Ippolito, an aristocratic country residence erected in local limestone. The limestone walls were roofed by slabs laid on masonry arches or timber beams. These slabs had an overlying layer of fill and flagstones to uniformly distribute the loading. The parts of the roof exposed to the elements were finished in an impervious layer.