Cathedrals and Churches in Malta

ST JOHN'S CO-CATHEDRAL

St John's Co-Cathedral is the most prestigious historical monument on the islands. However short your stay, this monastic church of the Knights of St John is a must to visit. Its stark exterior is juxtaposted with an astonishingly lavish interior, described as the first complete example of the high baroque anywhere. The austere facade is reminiscent of the fortifications of Valletta, the fortress city in which it stands, while the exuberant baroque interior shows the Knights' deep appreciation and patronage of culture and the arts. The Cathedral is testimony to the talents of the Maltese military architect, Gerolamo Cassar, who designed the Cathedral (1573 - 1577) as one of the first, main buildings in the Knights' new capital, Valletta. It is also a masterpiece of Mattia Preti, the Calabrian artist and Knight who embellished the interior in later years. Preti designed the intricate carved stone walls and painted the vaulted ceiling and side altars with scenes from the life of St John. The Cathedral oratory houses one of Europe's most impressive and famous art works, Caravaggio's masterpiece, The Beheading of St John the Baptist. St John's is a shrine to the Knights. Many sons of Europe's noble families from the 16th to the 18th centuries lie buried here. Their intricate, marble-inlaid tombstones form a magnificently crafted pavimento.
The inscriptions relate the story of the lives and valiant deeds of the Order.

Sir Walter Scott, whose sojourn in Malta occurred in 1831, called the Cathedral the most magnificent place he had ever seen.  It is certainly a spectacular building and a fitting resting place for the founder of Valletta, Grand Master Jean Parisot de la Vallette.  His tomb lies in the crypt, a quiet sanctuary and place of contemplation away from the busy streets outside.