St George's Square, Valletta
In the late 16th century, four separate buildings were constructed in its place, and these were later amalgamated into a single palace which became the seat of the Hospitaller Grand Masters who at the time ruled the Maltese Islands.
[3] A distinctive neoclassical portico was added to its façade during the early 19th century and this is now regarded as an iconic symbol of the period of British rule; the building itself is now better-known as the Main Guard.
[5] The centre of the square features a fountain with water jets which was installed in 2009,[6] and near its northwest end there is a monument commemorating the Sette Giugno riots of 1919.
[10] The fountain now stands at St Philip's Garden in Floriana,[5] and its original position within the square was rediscovered during the 2009 excavations, which also revealed remains of underground water channels.
[13] During the British period, the square was frequently used for military ceremonies such as the changing of the guard,[14] and Samuel Taylor Coleridge referred to the space as "the Parade.
"[15] The square was the backdrop for several notable episodes in Maltese history, including the Sette Giugno riots of 1919[14] and the ceremony of the award of the George Cross to Malta in 1942.
