The Bishop’s Palace in Vittoriosa was bought from the Gian Francesco Abela family in 1542 and later enlarged by Bishop Bellaguer. Annexed to the Bishop’s Curia was the hall of the ecclesiastical tribunal, together with the prison.

When the Order moved to Valletta in 1572 it made it clear that it wanted to distance itself from the Bishop who retained his Curia in Vittoriosa and used St Lawrence Church as an alternative to the Mdina Cathedral. In the meantime, the Bishop’s Palace underwent considerable restoration works even up to the time of Bishop Cagliares (1615-33) before he moved his seat and the Curia to Valletta in 1620.

Eventually the building was let as a public house until it was once again taken over and restored by the Curia.