Mediterranean Conference Centre

Hospital The Holy Infirmary was ordered to be built by Grand Master Jean de la Cassière on 7 November 1574, after a Chapter General, to replace the one in Birgu. Construction began the same year. It was completed towards the end of the 16th century. Its architect is not known, but it is usually attributed to Girolamo Cassar. It was meant to receive Maltese and foreign patients, as well as to provide lodging to pilgrims travelling to the Holy Land. It also had two pharmacies. In 1596 a phalange was built, which was meant to accommodate the patients with venereal and contagious diseases. In 1636, one of the pharmacies was closed down. During the reign of Grand Master Raphael Cotoner, the infirmary was enlarged, with more wards added. This work continued until 1666, during the reign of Raphael's successor and brother, Nicolas Cotoner. The ‘Old Ward’ was also extended. During his reign, in 1676, a School of Anatomy and Surgery was established in the infirmary itself. A dissection room was built in the infirmary due to the school, which was later shifted to the site of the graveyard outside the infirmary. More work was carried out in 1712, during the reign of Grand Master Ramon Perellos y Roccaful. These included a Quadrangle, the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, a laboratory and a pharmacy. When the French, under Napoleon Bonaparte, occupied Malta in 1798, they made alterations to the hospital. They improved its ventilation, sanitation and lighting. They also changed it to a military hospital to accommodate the sick French sailors and soldiers, which resulted in the name change from Sacra Infermeria to Hopital Militaire. As soon as the Maltese insurrection began, the hospital's efficiency began to deteriorate. Supplies like medication, fresh food, water and clothing were scarce. It was evacuated during the Second World War during which it took four direct hits, which destroyed certain parts of it. After the War, the part of the 'Great Ward' which remained became a Command Hall for the Allied Troops. It remained so until 1950. Afterwards it became a Children's Theatre for a year. In 1959, the centre became a school and an examination centre. Restoration was attempted multiple times, however in 1978 a full restoration started and on 11 November 1979, the current centre was inaugurated. It was later awarded the Europa Nostra Diploma of Merit. The Sacra Infermeria is listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. On 20 November 2016, the centre was the official venue for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest of the same year. It also held the 2016 Malta Eurovision Song Contest earlier that year in January. The venue was also used for 'Vocal Aid' singings by Stage Coach Malta. == 1987 Blaze ==

On 25 March 1987, a fire broke out in the Republic Hall causing significant damage. The blaze broke out when Laser Point Limited was preparing for a laser show commemorate Daihatsu’s launch of its Charade car model in Malta. The cause of the fire was a laser beam that was focused on the Maltese Coat of Arms that was above the stage curtain. Within minutes, the fire spread through the hall, destroying it in the process. There were no injuries but the hall was decimated. The Blaze started at about 6pm and raged for three hours, causing the roof of Republic Hall to collapse. Charles Bonello, the theatre manager, testified in the subsequent court case that smoke started to emanate from the centre of the coat of arms "like a chimney". According to his statement, at first, only a small portion of the emblem was on fire but soon the whole thing was ablaze. The laser was 18 watts, much stronger than what was typically used in entrainment venues. The fire alarm failed to ring, the fire extinguishers also failed, and no water came out from the pipes. The court-appointed experts concluded that "there were no sufficient means for the fire to be controlled.". The court-appointed experts stated, "The firefighting equipment was poor... and inadequate to control the fire and stop it from spreading until the fire engines arrived.". Peter Fenech, the theatre's chairman at the time of the ruling, stated, "Although the MCC had been partly blamed, its responsibility was not related to the fire but, rather, to certain safety features that the court felt should have been in place and allegedly were not functioning." ==Architecture==

The Sacra Infermeria originally had two wards with a central courtyard, but was subsequently enlarged to have six large wards. It also has a monumental staircase designed in the form of a flight of stairs going down against a wall and then turn midway opposite the other side of the wall. The corridors and underground halls have vaulted ceilings in the form of a cross. ==Further reading==