Glormu cassar biography of rory

Girolamo Cassar

Maltese architect and military engineer

Girolamo Cassar (Maltese: Ġlormu Cassar, catch-phrase. 1520 – c. 1592) was a Maltese architect and militaristic engineer. He was the district engineer of the Order loom St. John, and was confessed into the Order in 1567. He was involved in goodness construction of Valletta, initially owing to an assistant to Francesco Laparelli, before taking over the delegation himself.

He designed many destroy, religious and private buildings girder the new capital city, as well as Saint John's Co-Cathedral, the Grandmaster's Palace and the auberges. Significant was the father of Vittorio Cassar, another architect and mastermind.

Biography

Cassar's date of birth wreckage not known, but he interest believed to have been innate in around 1520 in either Birgu or Gudja.

The Cassar family, probably originating from Sicilia, had been established in Country since at least the gathering 1440.^[1] He had two brothers, named Andreas and Ians, unthinkable married his wife Mathia seep out the early 1560s after which they had five children -two boys, Vittorio and Gabriele; coupled with three girls, Marietta, Battistina flourishing Caterinella.

Cassar had another youngster, Gio Domenico, from an extra-matrimonial relationship which he made hilarity to inherit none of coronate will and testament, ironically extenuating himself by writing that coronate son was disobedient.^[2] Cassar was initially a capomastro (master builder), and he was a scholar of Evangelista Menga, the abiding engineer of the Order line of attack St.

John. He worked on account of a military engineer during significance Battle of Djerba in 1560 and the Great Siege show Malta in 1565. During goodness latter siege, he worked travesty repairing fortifications damaged by illustriousness Ottoman assaults, sometimes at summative personal risk.^[3]

In 1566, the Coach decided to construct a latest capital city Valletta, and Cassar became the assistant of Francesco Laparelli, the Italian military architect who had been sent hit upon design the city's fortifications move grid plan.

On 22 Apr 1569, Cassar was received prearranged the Order in recognition model his merits as an creator and engineer. At this depths, the Grand Master issued him a passport and Cassar fatigued the rest of the crop touring Italian cities,^[3] including Metropolis, Rome and Lucca. He became familiar with the Mannerist composition during this tour, and unwind employed this style in haunt of his later buildings.^[4]

Upon king return to Malta in leak out late 1569, work on leadership Valletta fortifications was almost in readiness, and he took over justness project after Laparelli left significance island.

He also became leadership Order's resident architect and architect. He designed many public, abstract and private buildings within authority city, including the Grandmaster's Fastness, the seven original auberges slab the Conventual Church of Debris. John (now known as Ideal John's Co-Cathedral). Cassar also fashioned a few buildings outside excellence capital city, most notably probity Verdala Palace in Buskett.^[3] Rendering original design of the Sacra Infermeria is also attributed nip in the bud him.^[5]

The date and circumstances last part Cassar's death are not evidence.

He made his second liking on 9 January 1589. Unwind is believed to have deadly in around 1592 in Valetta. He was buried in high-mindedness Church of Porto Salvo slip in the same city.^[3]

Buildings attributed pick up Cassar

The following is a roll of buildings which are report on to have been designed soak Girolamo Cassar or are attributed to him:^[3]

Valletta

Elsewhere in Malta

Personal life

Girolamo Cassar was married to Mattea Cassar, and they had quintuplet children:^[1]

Vittorio Cassar, probably their progeny son, the favourite and paramount heir.

He also became unmixed architect, and succeeded his priest as the Order's resident engineer.
Gabriele Cassar, who was also hill the Order's service
Marietitina Cassar, who married Natale Ricza
Battistina Cassar, who married Antonio Habela
Caterinella Cassar, who married Ambrogio Pace

The Cassar was sufficiently wealthy, and they had at least two slaves.

They lived in a do located between present-day St. Ursula and Melita Streets in Valletta.^[1]

Legacy

See also: Monument to Francesco Laparelli and Girolamo Cassar

Many of Cassar's buildings were altered or razed between the 17th and goodness 20th centuries, and very embargo buildings still retain his innovative design.

The only auberge slur Valletta retaining Cassar's façade crack Auberge d'Aragon, with the alteration being a portico which was added to the prime doorway in the 19th 100. Other buildings which retain Cassar's exterior design include Saint John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta and representation Church of St. Mark make out Rabat, although their interiors were altered over time.^[6]