António Manoel de Vilhena

Fra ' Antonio Manoel de Vilhena ( * 1663, † December 10, 1736 Valletta, Malta) was on 19 June 1722 to his death ( 1736) the 66th Grand Master of the Order of Malta.

He was a Portuguese nobleman of royal descent, son of Sancho Manoel de Vilhena, the first Count of Vila Flor. As such, he was a member of the Castilian tongue of the Order.

In order to meet the growing population of Valletta just, he was in 1724 the checkered development plan for the colonization of the area between Floriana and Valletta fastening belt submit. There still stands today in the Maglio Gardens a statue of him. Fort Manoel on Manoel Marsamxett located in Iceland was built under him from 1723. 1731, he left the Manoel Theatre ( the second oldest in Europe) build, which is still in operation today. The old " Città Notabile " Mdina was restored through him partially, so as you can see it today.

His grave in the cathedral of the Knights of St. John 's Co-Cathedral is considered the largest and most expensive of all the Grand Masters.