Villa Alhambra, Moorish Revival residence in Sliema, Malta.
Villa Alhambra is a Moorish Revival residential building in Sliema featuring elaborate stone carvings, wooden galleries, and Persian blinds across its two-story facade. The structure combines Oriental decorative elements with European construction traditions and forms part of a connected row of similar houses.
The house was designed by Emmanuele Luigi Galizia, Malta's Chief Architect during British rule, who built it as part of a terrace row. It was constructed in the mid-19th century when the Moorish Revival style emerged in European architectural circles.
The building displays Islamic design language that became fashionable in 19th century Malta, when European architects drew inspiration from distant cultures. Visitors can still see the Moorish elements in the stone carvings and details that reflect this taste today.
The building sits in a row of similar villas on Rudolph Street where you can compare differences between individual houses and their shared features. A walk along this street gives you a good overview of architecture from this period.
The architect Emmanuele Luigi Galizia, who designed the building, lived in it himself, while the neighboring house Alcazar was intended for Maltese artist Giuseppe Cali. This made the terrace row a residence for the island's creative and professional figures.
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