In the 18th Century Malta was undergoing various political and intellectual changes. Various men of letters were interested in a Maltese culture and were keen to insert this culture within a larger European framework. One such enlightened gentlemen was the first librarian of the Bibliotheca in Valletta: Agius de Soldanis. His pride in the Maltese language made him a fervent advocate of its qualities. Through his conviction of a rich language and history he left behind him abundant information of a patriotic, ethnographical and linguistic value. Some of his texts are also important for Maltese culinary history, these form the basis of our menu.

When the Frenchmen Antione Favray and M. Lacombe visited Gozo they both stayed at de Soldanis’ house at the Gran Castello. It was an opportunity for de Soldanis to converse with fellow men of letters. Il Signor Canonico de Soldanis, as his friend Ignazio Saverio Mifsud referred to him, was a man who at the earliest opportunity offered his house to scholarly travellers, Mifsud explains that dinner at de Soldanis’ was molto fastoso, e di gusto. It is this dinner that Heritage Malta will be recreating in April. A taste of what De Soldanis was preparing at his house will be on offer for everyone to taste the history of Gozo of the 18th century.

Events will start with a brief talk at the Gran Castello Historic House – a unique cluster of late medieval and early modern houses within Gozo’s old castle. This will be followed by a short walk to the Cittadella Cultural Centre where the sit-down dinner will be hosted.

Price: €60 per person. Tickets available from all Heritage Malta museums and sites, & ONLINE.

Time: Saturday 13th April at 19.30hrs.