Malta has 365 churches. One for every day of the year. This is not an urban legend — it is true. And nearly all of them are Baroque. Why? Because the Knights of Malta had money, ambition and wanted to demonstrate to the world that Catholicism was rich, beautiful and unconquerable. They hired the best artists in Europe and told them to go wild.
What Is "Maltese Baroque"?
Picture 17th-century Italian Baroque — and multiply by two. Gold, marble, angel sculptures, great domes dominating every village, disputes between neighbouring parishes over whose dome is taller (seriously — this was a genuine social and political phenomenon).
Malta developed its own local Baroque school. Architects such as Lorenzo Gafa (17th century) designed churches suited to the sunny warm climate and Malta's white limestone — a building material that is soft when quarried and hardens in the open air.
Churches You Must See
- St. John's Co-Cathedral (Valletta): Number one. Described separately. Gold, Caravaggio, marble floor. You must go inside.
- The Rotunda (Mosta): The fourth-largest dome in Europe. So vast it is hard to take in from inside. Free entry.
- St. Paul's Cathedral (Mdina): More restrained than the Co-Cathedral, but magnificent. The most beautiful church outside Valletta. The illusionistic fresco on the ceiling is impressive.
- Ta' Pinu Basilica (Gozo): Solitary, majestic, surrounded by fields. Inside a wall of prayer letters and votive offerings. Unexpectedly moving.
Festa and the Dome Competition
Every year each parish organises a Festa for its patron saint. Part of the fun? Competition over which church has the better fireworks, better band and better decorations. This rivalry has been going on since the 16th century and is the Maltese equivalent of arguing over who cooks better.