The House of the Executioner
By Appointment Only—No Walk-Ins
Photo by Richard Weninger. Copyright 2010
Now look closely: About half-way down from the top of the photo (on the gold-colored part), you should see two (inscribed) axes facing each other.
On Sunday we came across this treasure—the executioner’s house in Birgu—one of The Three Cities, that are fortified and originally occupied by the Knights of Malta—from the time of the Inquisition.
I just couldn’t believe that this was a real trade back in those times. I bet this guy didn’t have a hard time getting a permit here in Malta—unlike me. That’s because he was a head of his time. Sorry.
I had to just stand and stare at this house from the Middle Ages right on the corner in front of me. Mr. S and I had a good time wondering about a few things:
-How did his family feel about his trade? What could he possibly say to his wife when she asked, “ How was your day, dear?”
-What did his son say in school about what his father did for a living?
-What kind of training did the executioner go through?
-Did he walk through the street with his axe out in plain sight—or did he have a case for it like a violin?
Maybe I’ll look up these things about this guy. I do have to say that Birgu has some gorgeous winding streets lined with potted plants. I love them. But on this day, the executioner’s house was the main attraction.
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