The splendid Palazzo Falson, which is one of the oldest surviving homes in Malta, built in the 13th century, has a dazzling and extensive private collection on display, including furniture, watches, silver, jewellery, oriental rugs, paintings, armoury and books.
The Palazzo is named after its 16th century owner Vice Admiral Michele Falsone, although the amazing collection was brought together by researcher, philanthropist and artist Captain Olof Gollcher (1889-1962), who bought the Palazzo in 1927.
After your visit, be sure to have a break at the palazzo’s splendid rooftop café, which commands a panoramic view of Malta, the open sea and the prominent dome of the nearby Mdina Cathedral.
References:The church of the former Franciscan monastery was built probably between 1515 and 1520. It is located in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Old Rauma. The church stands by the small stream of Raumanjoki (Rauma river).
The exact age of the Church of the Holy Cross is unknown, but it was built to serve as the monastery church of the Rauma Franciscan Friary. The monastery had been established in the early 15th century and a wooden church was built on this location around the year 1420.
The Church of the Holy Cross served the monastery until 1538, when it was abandoned for a hundred years as the Franciscan friary was disbanded in the Swedish Reformation. The church was re-established as a Lutheran church in 1640, when the nearby Church of the Holy Trinity was destroyed by fire.
The choir of the two-aisle grey granite church features medieval murals and frescoes. The white steeple of the church was built in 1816 and has served as a landmark for seafarers.