The traditional Maltese balcony, one of the two or three architectural features so characteristic of the islands.
Balconies first appeared in Malta in medieval times, open and built of stone, but their popularity declined, giving
way to another closed style which could provide more security for the houses. The first closed wooden balcony
appeared around 1697 when the balcony on the corner of the Grand Master’s Palace in Valletta was covered with a
wooden and glass structure. The fashion became immensely popular and wooden balconies proliferated everywhere.
There is now a conservation programme to restore and preserve these quintessential and iconic Maltese structures.

For more information on Maltese balconies, see http://www.ottsworld.com/blogs/maltese-balcony-origins/

This image also shows another common architectural feature – the small shrine set into a wall.