Things to see and do Valletta

Guarded by two sturdy bronze cannons, it's one of the city's masterpieces, for its historical and architectural value. And if you're only going to visit once, this is the one to choose. An inscription near the side entrance, through which the knights entered, reminds us mortals of the brevity of our passage on earth: "You who walk on the dead, remember that one day you will be walked on" Built between 1575 and 1577, St. John's Co-Cathedral was designed by Gerolamo Cassar. It is his masterpiece. It was financed by Grand Master Jean l'Evesque de La Cassière and dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, patron saint of the Order. At the time, Malta's cathedral was Saint-Paul de Mdina. In 1816, under English rule, Pope Pius VII granted it the status of co-cathedral, a remarkable status given that few dioceses have two cathedrals. Consecrated on February 20, 1578, it was enriched for two centuries by each of the grand masters, who were required to make a donation on election. The exterior is sober, with a simple, symmetrical façade and Doric columns framing the entrance.

Note the three clocks on the right pediment, indicating the day, date and time. Opposite the building is a small square, guarded by a bust of Enrico Mizzi, where you'll find it pleasant to lounge under a parasol after your visit.

While the exterior appears almost austere, the interior is sumptuous and extremely ornate, having been extensively decorated by Mattia Preti at the height of the Baroque period (carved stone walls, etc.). The high, majestic vaults and the marble floor under which the knights sleep give the cathedral an atmosphere of great solemnity... In all, over 400 knightly tombs in red, white and black marble, with skeletons and coats of arms.

The workmanship of the marble, imported from Italy, most often from Carrara, is impressive in the co-cathedral. Following the work, the marble tradition is still very much alive on the island, although this material, absent from Malta, is necessarily imported. Although it is no longer possible to be buried with the great masters in St. John's Co-Cathedral, it is still possible to have a marble tombstone made in Mdina Cathedral.

Oratory Museum. The Co-Cathedral Museum houses Caravaggio's famous painting, The Beheading of St. John (1608), on display in the oratory. The ultimate work of Malta's greatest painter, it is said to be the only painting to bear the artist's signature (visible in the blood of St. John).

The museum also features 28 Flemish tapestries from the ^17th and ^18th centuries. One series illustrates the story of Christ, the others are allegories. Based on designs by Rubens and a drawing by Poussin for The Last Supper, they were once used to decorate the interior of the cathedral. Only one tapestry depicts the man who commissioned them, Grand Master Perellos Roccaful, but all bear his coat of arms. All the gifts he made to the cathedral are recorded in embroidery. The museum also houses priestly vestments and silverware, which escaped Napoleonic plunder in 1798.

The Heritage Malta Association offers a discounted pass to visit the historical sites. This pass allows thirty days' access to Malta's sites and museums (except Hal Saflieni Hypogeum and Underground Valletta) as well as the Malta National Aquarium and the Citadel Visitors' Center in Victoria (on the island of Gozo), via a single visit to each site per person. You can find more information about these various historical sites and museums on the Heritage Malta website.

Situated at the top of the bastions of Saint-Pierre and Saint-Paul, these pleasant Baracca gardens are home to a wide variety of species (pines, oleanders, eucalyptus, hibiscus, pistachio trees...) and offer the opportunity for green walks in the heart of the capital. Maltese and tourists alike come here during the day and especially in the evening to admire the "most beautiful natural harbour in the world": the incredible panorama of the three cities opposite. From the gardens, you'll have a breathtaking view of Birgu's Fort Saint-Ange, and from the ancient ramparts, you can also see the districts of Senglea and Cospicua, the main port and the sea. Also on the quayside are the customs buildings from which the dghajsas ( Maltese gondola-shaped boats painted in bright colors) depart to visit the ports. From the balconies of Baracca, you can see as far as Mdina and its cathedral. It's Valletta's postcard and the scene of your greatest photographic exploits if you manage to avoid the shipyard cranes in your panoramic shot, which will also include the church of San Paola de Tarxien and the disused former British hospital, jutting out from the promontory near Fort St. Angelo. With the right eyes, you'll be able to spot Paola's mosque. Still on the left, you'll notice the Ricasoli fort, built by an Italian knight, on the prow facing the sea. Built in 1663, during the reign of Grand Master Nicolas Cotoner, they are also known as the "Italian Gardens", as they were originally the private domain of the Italian knights. A little later, Grand Master Fra Flaminio Balbiani built the arches that can still be seen today. They were originally covered by a roof to protect walkers from the sun. Later, the English installed several statues. You can see some of them, including a bust of Winston Churchill. The funeral monument is dedicated to Sir Thomas Maitland, one of the island's English governors in the ^19th century. The sculpture Les Gavroches by Maltese artist Sciortino (one of his masterpieces) is also among the most visible pieces. The large renovated building at the entrance to the gardens is the Malta Stock Exchange. Below, you can see a row of cannons known as the Saluting Battery. This is where you take the elevator that links Upper Barakka Gardens to the Grand Harbour. Inaugurated in December 2012, it has a futuristic design, stretches 58 meters and carries 21 passengers for 25 seconds.

Projected on a panoramic screen, this 45-minute film retraces the history of Malta, with commentaries that can be followed in French or in twenty other languages, as desired. To watch it, you will be comfortably seated in the half-light. The commentary is very well done, very detailed, very well illustrated and the film is a most interesting historical and cultural presentation. Ideal if you wish to get a first idea of the island before discovering it or to complete your knowledge if you have not been able to visit it as a whole.

This magnificent museum boasts a spectacular collection, providing a fascinating insight into the prehistory and early history of the Maltese islands. With artefacts ranging from Malta's Neolithic period (5900-2500 BC) to the early Phoenician period (^8th-6th century BC), the National Museum of Archaeology will undoubtedly be your first port of call for understanding the richness of the land you are about to visit, and learning more about its inhabitants and their ancestors.
The first stage of the visit, the first floor is dedicated to the Neolithic period. It features the first tools and vessels used by prehistoric man to facilitate his daily tasks. Representations of animal and human figures not only show the advanced artistic skills of the first islanders, but also give us a glimpse into their daily lives. These objects come from various Maltese sites that have been classified as Unesco World Heritage Sites, such as the megalithic temples and the hypogeum of Ħal Saflieni. This includes such illustrious objects as "The Sleeping Lady", the Venus of Malta and the colossal statue from the prehistoric complex of Hal-Tarxien.
The upper floor currently houses sections from the Bronze Age and the Phoenician period. The majority of objects range in size from small ritual vessels to funerary urns and amphorae. Phoenician objects in glass and gold, as well as an impressively large terracotta sarcophagus, also feature prominently in this section. The National Museum, housed in the Auberge de Provence, is a fine example of the Baroque style that flourished in Malta under the Knights of the Order of St. John. Dating from 1571, it housed the Provençal-speaking knights. Particularly noteworthy is the upper floor, which houses the Grand Salon, a uniquely large painted room with decorations dating from the early 1800s. This space is currently used for national exhibitions and events such as conferences, fashion shows, photo shoots and TV shoots.
The National Museum of Archaeology also organizes regular temporary exhibitions designed to showcase the objects in its storerooms.

The city gate is located between the bastions of Santiago and Saint John. A bridge over the deep moat surrounding Valletta leads to this gate. Throughout history, Valletta has had five different gates: the first built during the reign of John of Valletta, the second attributed to Tommaso Dingli, the third during the English occupation and the fourth in Italian style. The fifth gate was part of the renovation project of the entrance to the city orchestrated by the architect Renzo Piano, which is now in place. A project launched notably for the festivities of "Valletta, European Capital of Culture" in 2018 by UNESCO. It was part of the large urban renewal complex that combines old stones and modernity. Located at the entrance to the Walled City, between the moat and the main square (Place de la Liberté), it included the remodelling of the city gates and moat, the construction of a new building and the transformation of the ruins of the Opera House - bombed during the Second World War - into an open-air theatre. A project that has been much talked about in Malta, as it originally envisaged the construction of the Parliament building on the remains of the Opera House. Renzo Piano's project to preserve these remains finally convinced the Maltese people, although it included the destruction of part of the old city gates to allow them to open and the construction of a modern building in the heart of the Baroque city. The idea was to preserve the city's architectural heritage while creating a contemporary civic and cultural meeting place.

Thecentral square adorned by the majestic Triton Fountain also completed its renovation in 2019, as the three bronze tritons were completely restored in a prestigious Florentine foundry. The fountain is now pedestrianized and the water features are particularly appreciated at night.

The gate of the Fortified City and the moat. The austere City Gate built by the English to defend the city was destroyed and replaced by two majestic staircases that allow pedestrian communication from one side to the other of the old city, previously divided in two. The very deep moat has been transformed into a garden planted with trees and a pedestrian promenade. It can be reached by a staircase on the right, once you have passed the gate. The visiting hours are not clearly explained but the closing is apparently announced in advance.

Designed by Cassar, the Grand Masters' Palace was built between 1570 and 1580 as the official residence of the Grand Masters. Later, it was also used by English governors. Since 1921, the palace has housed the Chamber of Deputies and, since 1974, the office of the President of the Republic. Of its two inner courtyards, the largest is the Cour de Neptune, whose bronze statue was commissioned by the Grand Master, Alof de Wignacourt. It adorned the fish market until the English governor Le Marchand had it moved to the palace. A cloister of local stone surrounds the courtyard. Beautiful balustrades can be seen on the second floor, where the nobles lived. In the second courtyard, that of Prince Alfred, the clock indicating the hours, days, months and cycles of the Moon is a gift from the great Portuguese master, Manoel Pinto de Fonseca. Two bronze Moors chime the hours.
At the far right after the entrance, a commemorative plaque lists the names of the various Grand Masters of Malta, the first on the list being Philippe de Villiers de L'Isle-Adam. In the entrance corridor, paintings by Niccolo Nasoni evoke the naval battles between the Order's knights and the Turks. The rooms are decorated with portraits of the great masters and with armor. The floor was covered with marble on the initiative of the English governor Le Marchand in the ^19th century.
The Salle des Tapisseries displays a complete series of tapestries by the famous Gobelins manufactory, executed by order of King Louis XIV at the request of the Prince of Nassau. These "Indian hangings", commissioned by the great master Ramon Perellos y Roccaful and created in 1697, depict exotic fauna and flora, more or less imaginary.
These superb compositions of colorful, exuberant scenes, full of life and movement, were for the most part inspired by the Prince's travels. During his hunts in Africa or his campaigns in the Mediterranean, he was always accompanied by a painter. The painter produced "on-the-spot" sketches for the artisans at the Manufacture des Gobelins to draw inspiration from. Connoisseurs will appreciate the precision and meticulousness of the work: 256 threads per square inch, or around 6 cm², which is the mark of a particularly tight weave.
In the State Banquet Hall, you'll mainly find portraits of English sovereigns, notably those of Elizabeth II and George IV. Today, conferences are held here. In the Throne Room, a frieze of twelve frescoes by Matteo Perez d'Aleccio, a former pupil of Michelangelo, evokes the Great Siege of 1565. It features a particularly precise plan of Valletta, with the bay and the four promontories. In this beautiful gold-upholstered room, awards are presented to deserving Maltese. You'll also see the throne that was once occupied by the Grand Master, and later by the English governor.
The next salon is the Ambassadors' Salon, or Salon Rouge, because of the color of the damask that covers its walls. This is a red salon, in ^19th-century style, in which the President receives his visitors. A frieze here recalls the main events in the Order's history in Rhodes, just before its arrival in Malta.the public is not generally allowed access to this room, except in groups, if accompanied by a guide, or sometimes individually during a visit to the museum. It is here that ambassadors present their credentials. A painting by Antoine de Favray shows Villiers de L'Isle-Adam (first Grand Master of Malta) receiving the keys to the city of Mdina. Wignacourt, an apothecary with a clock brought back from the island, as well as a portrait of Louis XVI next to a more modest one of Louis XIV.
The Pages' waiting room, or Yellow Room, so named for the color of its walls, is adorned with a frieze by Matteo Pérez d'Aleccio evoking the history of the Order of St. John in the Holy Land in the ^13th century. It is interspersed with allegorical symbols. This room also features a portrait of the famous Grand Master Parisot de La Valette, painted by Antoine de Favray. Between the entrance corridor and the Chambre Jaune, pendants still evoke the Order's history through its maritime expeditions.
In the Grand Master's salon, you'll notice the portraits of popes on display. The Grand Master's private chapel, where paintings depict the life of St. John the Baptist, patron saint of the Order, is now the office of the Governor's secretariat.
The gardens add a touch of freshness to the building.

The Palace Armory. Part of the palace restoration work starting in 2019 involved reinstating this historic armory in its original location, the former Parliament Chamber. With 5,000 items, ranging from the ^16th to the ^18th century, it houses an impressive collection: armor, swords, daggers... A showcase for the opulence of the Order of St. John - fierce defenders of the Catholic faith against the attacks of the Ottoman Empire - it is considered one of the finest in the world, and also houses the armor of Grand Masters Alof de Wignacourt and Jean de Valette, as well as Ottoman armor and weapons.

Located on the waterfront above Grand Harbour, these gardens are colored by dozens of hibiscus that bloom in summer. While they may not offer as impressive a view as the one enjoyed from the Upper Barraca Gardens, they do offer a beautiful panorama. All this in a more family atmosphere where you don't have to struggle to sit on the right bench. The neo-classical monument in the form of a Greek temple dedicated to the vice-admiral, Alexander Ball, an Englishman sent by Admiral Nelson to organise the Maltese insurrection against the French in 1798 and which gives its name to the main artery of the posh Paceville district of Saint Julian's. Raised after Ball's death in 1809 and restored during the 19th century, it is the work of the Maltese artists Giorgio Pullicino and Salvatore Dimenech. During the visit you will also note the sculpture by Antonio Sciortino commemorating the Great Siege of Malta in 1565, the fountain, the well-kept hedges, the many cats and the various commemorative plaques on the terrace such as the one referring to the fiftieth anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Not far away is the most modern building, the Siege Bell Memorial, inaugurated in 1992 by Elizabeth II to honour the courage of the Maltese people during the Second World War. From these gardens you can see the former Bighi Hospital and Fort Ricasoli.

In addition to the inn of the same name, the Prime Minister's office and the Cavalier Saint-Jacques (a sort of large tower), you'll see the statue of Borg Olivier, who led Malta to independence and was its Prime Minister. Opposite the Auberge de Castille stands the statue of Manwell Dimech and, next door, that of Paul Boffa, who was Prime Minister after the war and gave women the right to vote in 1945. And a new, more contemporary work, in scrap metal colors, has come to occupy the Place de Castille, this being a sculpture commemorating the November 2015 migration summit.

It is the first Protestant church built in Malta at the request of Queen Adelaide in 1838, and it is built on the site of the former hostel in Germany. Built under the direction of two English architects, the first of whom committed suicide as soon as structural problems arose, and completed in 1844, it can accommodate 1,500 people. Its portal with Ionic columns and its 60m spire, which contributes to the beauty of the urban profile of the capital, are particularly noteworthy.

Located at the northern end of the city of Valletta, Fort Saint-Elme is one of the must-see sites when visiting Valletta. Today, it houses the National War Museum. Like similar fortifications of the same age in continental Europe, the fort was defended by a cavalryman on the seaward side and by bastions on the landward side. Around 1552, following an Ottoman attack in 1551, the Order of St. John decided to build the fort to protect the entrance to Valletta's two ports, and named it Fort Saint-Elme, in honor of the patron saint of sailors. They entrusted military engineer Pietro Pardo with the design and construction of the fort on the tip of Mount Sceberras, the peninsula where Valletta would later be built. When the dreaded Ottoman invasion took place in 1565, the stage was set for one of the most tragic moments in Malta's military history. The Ottomans realized that, in order to ensure safe anchorage for their fleet in one of the two ports on either side of the peninsula, they first had to neutralize Fort Saint-Elme. They launched a massive and desperate attack against this outpost, carrying out an uninterrupted siege lasting thirty days until the final surrender. By June 23, 1565, some 1,100 defenders of the fort had been slaughtered to the last man. The Ottomans lost a further 8,000 men. But while the Ottomans never turned the fort into a Turkish prison, the Americans did: the barracks were, in fact, used as the setting for the 1978 film Midnight Express. At the end of the Great Siege, Fort Saint-Elme was restored and, in 1687, a wall was built around it, linking it to the new town of Valletta. The fort again fell prey to destruction during the Second World War: the first casualties were reported during a bombardment on June 11, 1940, the day after Italy declared war. In July 1941, the fort was again in the firing line when its Maltese defenders bravely repelled an attack by 9 Italian assault boats. Fort Saint-Elme occasionally hosts the great In Guardia parade, a military parade retracing the inspection that the great commander carried out in his garrisons in the ^17th century, with over 80 actors in period costumes.

A way of discovering Malta and its sights in an open-air bus (don't forget to protect yourself from the sun). Audio in French. Choice of two routes:

Valletta and the northern route: Manoel Island, Valletta, San Anton Gardens, Mdina, Rabat, Ta Qali - aviation museum and craftsmen's village, Mosta, Mgarr, Golden Bay, St. Paul's Bay, Bugibba, St George's Bay, St Julian's, Sliema seafront.

Valletta and the southern route: Sliema, Manoel Island, Valletta, Tarxien, Marsaxlokk, Ghar Dalam, Blu Grotto, Hagar Qim & Mnajdra temples, Limestone Heritage.

Opened in 1975, it is located in a former powder magazine of the fort of Saint-Elme, transformed in 1853 into a weapons room during its expansion by the British. If it allows you to visit the fort of Saint-Elme, it also exposes the history of the island in a chronological way. The visit begins with the discovery of prehistoric objects from the Bronze Age (2500 BC). Then you will be able to watch different video projections that approach a little-known aspect of this history: the different invasions of the island: the Western Roman Empire, the Byzantines, the Arabs, the Normans, the Angevins, the Catalans etc. The second block deals with the glorious Maltese military past: the Great Siege and the decisive role of Fort St. Elmo, with pictures of illustrations, armor, crossbows, cannonballs. Then comes the block dedicated to the story of the two wars of the twentieth century. Large photographic panels and many objects present the military operations from 1940 to 1943. In addition, you will notice the Faith biplane, one of the three planes that constituted Malta's only defense at the beginning of the war, General Eisenhower's Jeep, which he used during the invasion of Sicily in 1943, but also the George Cross, offered by King George VI to the Maltese people as a reward for their courage. The visit ends with the historical conclusion, the independence and then the Republic of Malta leading to the integration into the European Union in 2004.

At the entrance to the old town, this superb house, in authentic Spanish style, is today the administrative residence of the Prime Minister. It has been home to the knights of Castile, Leon and Portugal, i.e. Portuguese and Spanish speaking knights. Designed by Gerolamo Cassar, like many other buildings, the hostel was originally built in Renaissance style, but the great master Pinto de Fonseca had a Baroque façade erected in the 18th century. It is the most representative building of the Knights' era.

This XVI century mansion was inhabited by the ninth marquis of Piro and his family. During the time of the knights, the residence was attached to the Italian language inn. It bears the name of its first owner, Don Pietro La Rocca, admiral of the Order of St. John. Today, it is the Marquise de Piro herself who gives a one-hour tour of the place.

The staircase. The two vertical paintings, The Invention of the Electric Light Bulb and The Mechanization of the Wheat Industry, were painted by Ramiro Raffaele Cali for Antonio Cassar Torregiani, the only industrialist to have lived in Casa Rocca Piccola.

The chapel, dating back to the ancestors of the Marquis, has an altarpiece painted by Pietro Paolo Caruana and showing the Virgin and Child venerated by Saint Gaetano. The treasure of the chapel includes some very beautiful pieces, donated by Popes Pius IX and Leo XII.

The room of the canopy bed. The canopy bed is that of the great-grandmother of the Marquis Orsola Agius Caruana. She gave birth to nine children here.

The green room. You will notice some picturesque details in the portraits: the little girl wearing a red bracelet for superstition, with mountains in the background, symbols of Sicily, because in Malta there are no mountains! You will also see the invitations for the coronations of George VI and Elizabeth II.

The library, with several paintings and portraits, including the watercolor of Louisa, daughter of the Marquis.

The Porphyry Room is named for its mural which imitates... porphyry (a volcanic stone). Its sixteenth-century beamed ceiling is the only one in the house that has remained intact. In this room there are several portraits of the Piro ancestors.

In the blue room, note a series of surgical instruments on the table. The blue room is also the television room (look carefully behind the panels).

The summer dining room makes you want to settle down and put the napkin on your lap, waiting for the gala meal suggested by a beautifully set table.

The Chinese room: several small vinaigrettes and other objects displayed in the Chinese showcase.

The archive room: a large collection of the family's historical documents is displayed here. They were recently organized by an Italian doctoral student.

The air raid shelters: in order to protect themselves from the bombings during the Second World War (Valletta was one of the hardest hit cities), the Piro's transformed their two wells into air raid shelters.

The Auberge d'Italie is now home to the MUŻA (Muzew Nazzjonali tal-Arti għall-komunita' - National Museum of Community Art). Inaugurated in November 2018 and receiving its first visitors since December 2018, the MUŻA was one of the flagship projects of the Valletta 2018 European Capital of Culture program, with the aim of appealing to all audiences and not just connoisseurs like the previous National Museum of Fine Arts. And it does so by allowing them to discover the richness of Malta's heritage and culture. Taking its name from the Maltese word for inspiration, it features a collection of over 20,000 works covering a very broad period from prehistory to modern and contemporary times. A visit to the MUŻA will also be an opportunity to see works by Mattia Preti, the Calabrian artist and knight of the Order of St. John who introduced the Baroque style to Malta; Victor Pasmore, one of the pioneers of British abstract art in the ^mid-20th century, who retired to Malta and left his mark; Antonio Sciortino, the celebrated ^{twentieth-century} Maltese sculptor, whose work reflects realism and futurism as well as the influence of Rodin; and Edward Caruana Dingli, a Maltese artist whose portraits and captures of life in Malta in the early ^twentieth century ensured his importance in the island's artistic development.

The building. Construction began at the end of the ^16th century. The Auberge d'Italie was the headquarters of the Italian knights of the Order of St. John. Its style was initially Mannerist. From the ^17th century onwards, the building underwent numerous modifications, with its last major renovation in 1680, giving it its Baroque character. As its style evolved, so did its functions. Having once served as the National Museum and the House of Justice, the Auberge d'Italie was long home to the Central Post Office, and until the end of 2016 it housed the Ministry of Tourism and the Malta Tourism Authority. In order to house the MUŻA, the building has been carefully restored to highlight the various stages of its chronology. The main staircase, for example, has been rebuilt with contemporary materials to match current architectural trends, but remains the ghost of a past in the building's long history. The main courtyard has become a public space in its own right, allowing visitors to discover the beauty of this ancient building in the UNESCO city of Valletta.

From the ramparts, whose thickness can only impress, one can enjoy a panoramic view of the Msida creek and Manoel Island with its military fort, and in the background, Sliema the modern city. It is recommended to come there at sunset because the view is magnificent. The garden has laurels, olive trees and rare plants recently introduced to Malta. A marble funerary monument is dedicated to the Marquis of Hastings, Viceroy of India until 1824, then Governor of the island from 1824 to 1826. He died on the boat taking him to Naples.

The capital's oldest church was built in 1566 by Jean de La Valette to commemorate the victory of the Great Siege of 1565. For many years, it was the city's parish church. The façade was completely rebuilt in the ^17th century. Visible above the entrance, the bust of Pope Innocent XI was donated by Grand Master Ramon Perellos y Roccaful, to thank the pontiff for settling his dispute with the Bishop of Malta. Indeed, the bishops of Malta - who represent religious power independently of the Order - are often in conflict with the latter. Like all Maltese churches, the interior of Notre-Dame-de-la-Victoire is richly decorated with three altars, which have been undergoing renovation since 2011. For the record, Jean de La Valette was buried there after his death on August 22, 1568, and remained there for 11 years before being transferred to the co-cathedral of Saint-Jean.

This church is the church of the Catholic-Catholic community of the island. This community, which is now very small, was born in 1530 when the knights settled in Malta with 4 000 Greeks. The building was severely damaged by the bombing, but the famous icon (above the altar) fortunately survived. If you arrive at the right time, the old priest will organise a small visit (in French) and will reveal the secrets of the site.

Saint Paul is considered the spiritual father of the Maltese people, which is why this collegiate church is one of the most important in Malta. It was designed by Cassar in the 16th century and is one of the oldest in the city. It was modified by the architect Lorenzo Gafà in 1629, who added a chapel dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament. Of particular note is the gilded wooden statue of Saint Paul, which was made by Melchiorre Gafà, the brother of the architect Lorenzo. It is in fact this statue that is walked around the city on February 10th, the feast of Saint Paul. St. Paul is the patron saint of the city. In the year 60, he was shipwrecked in Malta where he stayed for three months. He succeeded in converting Governor Publius, making Malta one of the first Christian lands of the Roman Empire. The interior houses other beautiful artistic works such as the magnificent main altarpiece by Matteo Perez d'Aleccio or the altar painted by Antoine de Favray. The ceiling frescoes, which depict the saint's stay in Malta, are by Attilio Palombi. You will also appreciate the paintings of Giuseppe Cali, a Maltese painter born in the mid-19th century. You can admire the sacred objects in gold or silver, the most remarkable piece of which is an 18th century silver throne, sometimes placed next to the altar. Finally, the church houses two precious relics, the bone of Saint Paul's left wrist and a piece of the column on which he was beheaded.