The Upper Barrakka Gardens are Valletta's most popular public gardens and offer splendid panoramic views of the Grand Harbour. They were designed by the Italian Knight Hospitaller Fra Flaminio Balbiani in 1661 for the recreation of his fellow knights. They opened to the public two centuries later (1824). The Gardens are home to numerous statues and memorials and offer access to the lower part of the city through the famous Barrakka Lift.