For some 300 years at the end of the first millennium, Malta was settled and inhabited by Muslim Arabs, who followed in the wake of successful Arab wars against the Byzantine Empire and the post-Roman kingdoms of the Western Mediterranean. It is said that many of these new islanders abided by a very conservative interpretation of the Islamic faith, which forbade women from leaving the house without the consent of the man of the house.

However, among some households, a compromise was reached - a second-floor balcony with windows would be constructed to give the women of the house both a glimpse of the outside world, and their own private space within the house. When the Sicilians arrived late in the 11th century, they rather enjoyed these little balconies as ways to extend their homes, on an island where space is very limited. These little balconies have since become intertwined with Maltese culture and architecture, and you can find them in new builds as well as medieval homes.

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