The most beautiful religious buildings 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.

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.

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.

It was built in 1571 by the Knights of Saint John and renovated in 1765. Despite this restoration, most of the works of art that lie inside the church date from the church of origin.

Designed by Francesco Buonamici, it was founded by the Jesuits in 1592 to teach philosophy, literature and theology. The Jesuits were expelled from the island by the great master Emmanuel Pinto de Fonseca and recalled under the English occupation. The university then became public, and medicine and surgery were also taught there. By its shape and ornaments, it reminds us of the Jesuit church in Rome, and contains many paintings and liturgical objects. Today it is the setting for the solemn ceremonies of the University of Malta.

It was built in 1598 and completed in the 17th century by the great master Gregorio Carfa, whose coat of arms adorns the façade. The side extension is designed in 1920 by the Maltese architect E. Borg. This church is one of the first in the country to have designed the interior in the Baroque style. Paintings by Mattia Preti, Pietro Galiardi and Filippo Paladini can be seen here. Its dry, classical façade blends discreetly into the major axis that is Republic Street.

This church was originally the church of a religious school for girls opened in 1692 by a Maltese Jesuit. Orphans or girls were placed in poor families.