Chatbot Gossip Tour

Lust, gluttony, greed, envy, pride and all sorts of sins are not the basis of a soap opera but they can be easily associated to the Knights of Malta, when the Order went into decline. Its finances, its military prowess and even its morals degraded through the decades relegating the Golden Age of Malta under the Knights to a faint memory of the past.

This process is perhaps best reflected in the lives led by some of the Grand Masters. The monastic vows of poverty, chastity and obedience were quickly replaced. "Poverty" was expressed in the lavish palaces and impressive Baroque architecture which adorns the city of Valletta till this day. Chastity was replaced by orgies and occasionally, by illegitimate offspring. Obedience became useful only when it was time to overthrow an old Grandmaster from his throne.

But what if you could ask them about it yourself?

A Revolutionary Walking Tour Experience:
For the first time ever, join us on an experimental walking tour where history comes alive through cutting-edge artificial intelligence. As part of the HiD-CATCH (History in Dialogue) research project, funded by Xjenza Malta, we're pioneering a new way to experience historical storytelling—one where you can actually converse with the scandalous figures who shaped Valletta.

Led by our expert human guide, this tour combines traditional storytelling with interactive AI-powered chatbots that embody historical personalities. Using your smartphone, you'll engage in conversations with:

Jean de Valette - The founder himself, paranoid in his final years, haunted by his daughter's murder
Jean de La Cassiere - Who tried to ban prostitutes and got imprisoned for it
Grand Master Verdalle - The politically cunning Cardinal who held grudges for centuries
Grand Master Pinto - Who died at 92 allegedly making love to his mistress
Caravaggio - The brilliant, violent artist who murdered a man and painted masterpieces