Heritage Malta launched HM TV, an endeavour inspired by Heritage Malta CEO Noel Zammit, which kicked off with a series of one-minute features uploaded to our various social media channels every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7pm.

The series, produced entirely in-house at Heritage Malta, will focus on bringing to the public’s attention the myriad conservation and restoration, curatorial, educational, publishing, archaeological and other little-known projects and initiatives happening daily, including behind-the-scenes and support work across all departments.

HM TV features ongoing works at Villa Guardamangia

When Villa Guardamangia, home to Princess Elizabeth between 1949 and 1951, was entrusted to Heritage Malta in 2020, it was in a very sorry state.

Firstly, emergency structural consolidation measures urgently needed seeing to. Sections of the façade of the former summer palace, for instance, were in danger of imminent collapse and required propping up. Next, a detailed architectural survey of the entire property was conducted to assess what needs replacing and what can be salvaged and repaired. Scientists embarked on collecting a whole year of environmental data from the villa to guide future decisions. 

Meanwhile, tonnes of inert waste and building debris were cleared out. A Ground Penetrating Radar survey of the whole site led to the discovery of a large underground cistern in the garden, whilst students from the University College London submitted a preliminary report on the structural condition of the building.

More recently, painting conservators have uncovered schemes of painted wall decorations on most internal spaces, which are being analysed prior to conservation as part of an ongoing, in-depth research study of the history of the Grade 2 listed building and its past occupants.

The paintings are the subject of a one-minute feature part of a thrice-weekly series produced by the newly launched HM TV, a Heritage Malta in-house project. Watch the feature here: