ST MARY'S - GOZO CATHEDRAL
Gozo’s Citadel appears to perch even more precariously on its flat-topped hill than its Maltese counterpart Mdina.
The citadel itself is dominated by the Cathedral, another baroque masterpiece by Maltese architect Lorenzo Gafa’.
The Citadel has been a landmark and focal point of the island since at least 1500 B.C.
The Cathedral itself has had several predecessors, some more mythical than real.
The first structure on the site was probably a Phoenician temple.
This was rebuilt and enlarged by the Romans, and in due course changed status to a Christian church. The building underwent various reconstructions until an earthquake damaged it, like the Mdina Cathedral, in 1693.
Whatever the origins of the site, remains of a Roman temple were unearthed here before the ‘new’ cathedral was built. The Cathedral’s predecessors were known as ‘Matrice’, or mother church, since early times. It was probably the only parish church on Gozo for several centuries.
Today’s structure (1697-1711) is a superb example of the Mediterranean baroque.
It is similar to the Mdina Cathedral but on a smaller, more modest scale.
The understated façade rests imposingly at the top of a steep flight of steps.
While Gafa’ is renowned for his elegant domes, the cathedral lacks one, which was never completed due to a lack of funds. Instead, it has a masterful illusion,
a trompe l’oeil giving the impression of the dome’s interior, painted by the Italian
Antonio Manuel.