SAINT-PAUL CATHEDRAL & MUSEUM

With its two bell towers and dome, the cathedral, dedicated to Saint Paul and Saint Peter, is located where Saint Paul is said to have converted the Roman governor Publius, who later became the first bishop of Malta, to Christianity. Originally, there was a small church there, dating from the 4th century, which Roger of Sicily had enlarged when he arrived in 1090, and you can still see the old wooden door of the time, now integrated into the current building and leading to the sacristy. Enlarged in the 15th century, the church was entirely rebuilt by Lorenzo Gafà after the earthquake of 1693, then consecrated a cathedral in 1702 and dedicated to Saint Paul. The monumental façade, with its mixture of vertical and horizontal lines, is in the purest Baroque Romanesque style. It is flanked by the coat of arms of the great masters Perellos y Roccaful and Palmieri. Like the Saint-Paul de La Valette cocathedral, its floor is covered with marble slabs from the tombs of great masters and other personalities, the most recent dating from 1996. It is located to the right of the cathedral, in Saint Paul Street.

Inside, during the visit, special mention should be made of the baptismal font, to the left of the main entrance door, the entrance door to the sacristy and a very beautiful painting by Mattia Preti. Be careful, during the visit, to follow the progress of the booklet, you must leave from the central entrance door of the cathedral and not from the one of the visit.

The cathedral museum. Baroque in style, you will find exposed Dürer's woodcuts, religious paintings and ancient scores of sacred music. Just next door is the 18th century Archbishops' Palace, built on the site of a 14th century building.