Close to Siggiewi, at the southern end of the Island of Malta, is the fertile little valley of Girgenti. At its head is a flat, rocky ledge, from which the ground falls sharply below what is a precipice in miniature. At the foot of the ledge is a grove of poplars, medlars, lemon, orange and pomegranate trees; all sorts of shrubs grow with a luxuriance fare in Malta beside the trickle of running water that irrigates the farms below.

On the ledge, which even in summer is cool and in the winter is buffetted by every wind that blows, stands a little gem of a house - plain, harmonious, restrained.

Girgenti was built by Inquisitor Onorato Visconti in 1625 and commands a superb view of the surrounding country. Its gardens are watered by a number of springs, the main one being that of Ghajn il-Kbir, which also irrigates the valley of Girgenti below. Its chapel, dedicated to San Carlo Borromeo, was built by Inquisitor (later Cardinal) Angelo Durini in 1763.

The facade consists of three blocks which lie in one continuous face with recessed panels and plain projecting strips marking the vertical and horizontal divisions. The window surrounds consist of similar plain strips whilst the central axis is accented by a balustraded balcony over the door and a high semicircular-headed French window in the first floor. Good proportions, a clear articulation and an interesting broken skyline produce a pleasing effect so that, although plain, the facade is neither monotonous nor perceptibly severe. It is worth noting the effectiveness of the single top windows in the two wings.

The ground floor plan originally consisted of seven rooms built in a row overlooking the beautiful valley. Three of these rooms, to the right of the entrance hall, now form what is called the Long Room, the principal reception room. At the back of this is a narrow passage which is connected by a graceful loggia to the charming little church, which is now the Dining Room. To the left of the entrance hall is a small study and a serving room which leads to the old kitchen.

The first floor extends over the whole of the ground floor. It includes the Library which is a beautiful high-ceiling room with windows in three of its four walls. This floor also contains the main bedroom with its private terrace, as well as a secondary bedroom and Reading Room.

The second floor only extends over the right wing and contains two bedrooms. What appears to be a second floor over the left wing has been taken up by the Library's high ceiling.

From 1625 to 1798, when the French regime suppressed the Inquisition, Girgenti was the summer residence of Malta's Inquisitors. The Maltese Inquisition had as one of its principal tasks keeping the peace between the other two religious powers on these islands: the Bishop and the Grand Master. Of the 41 Inquisitors who used this house, 26 eventually became Cardinals and two became Popes, reigning as Alexander VII and Innocent XII respectively.

During the British period Girgenti served initially as the summer residence of the Lieutenant Governors of Malta. In the Second World War it was used as one of the stores for the National Museum's collection. It fell into total disrepair after Worl War II and was partially restored in 1966 and 1967. It again fell into disrepair in the 1970s and was fully restored between 1988 and 1990, when it became the country residence of the Prime Ministers of Malta.