Sights

St. John's Cathedral

Cathedral from the Inside
photo by: J.J. van Blommestein

This splendid Church was built between 1573 and 1577 during the reign of Grand Master Jean de la Cassiere. St. John’s, which was the Order’s conventual church, was accorded Co-Cathedral status (the main Cathedral being the one at Mdina) by Pope Pius VII, in 1816.

The exterior of the Church is rather austere, but the interior is a blaze of baroque architecture and sculpture. The massive vault is painted by Mattia Preti, illustrating episodes from the life of St. John the Baptist. The spacious nave is flanked on either side by the chapels of the various Langues of the more..

type:	Churches and Cathedrals
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St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral

St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral, was the first Protestant church built in Malta. The project was conceived in 1838 by Queen Adelaide, Dowager Queen of King William IV, who at the time was convalescing in Malta due to a serious illness.

The site of the church was formerly occupied by the Auberge of Germany, which was dismantled to make room for the new structure. Queen Adelaide contributed the sum of 10,000 pounds, and the first stone was laid in March 1839.

The plans were drawn by a British architect, who also supervised the works. When structural defects more..

type:	Churches and Cathedrals
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The Auberges Of The Knights

When the Order of St. John arrived in Malta in 1530, the Knights set up their Convent in Birgu, which at the time was only a small fishing village in a creek inside Grand Harbour.

The Order was comprised of Knights from eight different nationalities or "Langues". In order to preserve their identity, the Langues built their own Auberges or Inns of Residence. At Birgu, the two Langues of Provence and Auvergne shared one Auberge.

When the Order transferred its headquarters to Valletta in 1571, the Langue of England had ceased to exist. The remaining seven Langues more..

type:	Landmarks
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The Sacra Infermeria

The extensive edifice of the Sacra Infermeria (Holy Infirmary) occupies a large site which overlooks the Grand Harbour, very near Fort St. Elmo. This hospital, one of the first buildings of Valletta, started to function in 1574 under Grand Master Jean de la Cassiere. Originally, it consisted of a large ward. Under the rule of Grand Master Nicholas Cottoner (1663 - 80), the hall was enlarged; and in 1712 Grand Master Perellos commissioned a new building alongside Merchants Street, which included a chapel and a pharmacy.

The infirmary provided about 900 beds for male patients more..

type:	Landmarks
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