St. John’s Co-Cathedral: Visiting the Crown Jewel of Valletta (2024)

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The beautiful and impressive St John’s Co-Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the heart of Valletta dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. It’s one of the top places to visit and things to do in Malta.

It was built between 1572 and 1577 by theKnights of Malta at the request of Grand Master Jean de la Cassière to act as the Conventual Church of Saint John.

Its design is a prime example of Baroque architecture and as an attraction is a must-visit on a trip to Malta!

Several artistic pieces of great value enrich the co-cathedral, with paintings from the great Caravaggio to works of art donated as gifts by past Grand Masters and Knights of the Order of St. John.

The building itself was designed by renowned Maltese architect Girolamo Cassar, who is also credited to have designed theGrandmaster’s Palaceas well as the original design for the Knights’ hospital, La Sacra Infermeria.

In the 17th century, Mattia Preti and other able artists gave the cathedral’s interior the Baroque imprint. Over the centuries several gifts and inheritances left by the various Knights further embellished the cathedral to become a true jewel.

St. John’s Co-Cathedral retained its title as the conventual church of the Order until the Knights left Malta with the French occupation in 1798. It is called a Co-cathedral since it shares the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Malta together with the older Cathedral of Saint Paul in Mdina.

The building and its interior

Works on St. John’s Co-Cathedral started in 1573 and it took the builders 5 years to complete. Grand Master Jean de la Cassière commissioned the work in 1572 because he wanted a new conventual church for the Order instead of St. Lawrence’s Church in Birgu. Maltese architect Girolamo Cassar, who during that period was responsible for the construction of many important buildings in Valletta, was asked to head the project.

Cassar may have been inspired by an existing church in Rhodes that had belonged to the Order of St. John, however, he put in a lot of his own as well. Later on, in 1598, Grand Master Martin Garzez ordered the construction of the oratory and sacristy. These were completed by Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt in 1604.

A look at the exterior of St. John’s Co-Cathedral

The cathedral’s exterior, which was designed and built by architect Girolamo Cassar has been restored a number of times during the years, first to repair World War II damage from aerial bombardment in 1941, then on more recent occasions.

Despite some alterations, the façade still retains most of Cassar’s original Mannerist design. It is rather plain but well-proportioned, almost reminiscent of a military fort, with a bell tower on each side of the main door.

The bell tower on the right has three clocks – one shows the time, one shows the day of the week and the other shows the date. Over the main door, you’ll see a balcony supported by columns. This was used to announce the name of newly-elected grandmasters.

Apparently, the new grand-master used to throw golden coins to the people in the square below. Under the balcony are three coats of arms. One is of Grand Master La Cassiere, who paid for the building of the Cathedral, one is of Bishop Torres who opened the Cathedral and the third is the coat of arms of religion.

The Baroque interior of St. John’s Co-Cathedral

Once you walk through the door and into the church, your eyes will be tremendously busy soaking up the magnificent view. The Baroque interior you see today is chiefly thanks to Calabrian artist Mattia Preti, himself a member of the Order. He redecorated the modest interior in the 1660s when Grandmaster Raphael Cotoner asked for an interior to rival the churches of Rome.

Preti designed the intricately carved stone walls and painted the vaulted ceiling and side altars with scenes from the life of St John. Interestingly, the figures painted into the ceiling next to each column initially appear to the viewer as three-dimensional statues, but on closer inspection, we see that the artist cleverly created an illusion of three-dimensionality by his use of shadows and placement.

Also noteworthy is the fact that the carving was all undertaken in-place (in-situ) rather than being carved independently and then attached to the walls (stucco). The Maltese limestone from which the Cathedral is built lends itself particularly well to such intricate carving.

The annexes on the side of the cathedral were added later and feature the coat of arms of Grand Master António Manoel de Vilhena who reigned from 1722 to 1736.

The painting depicting The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist painted in 1608 by Caravaggio is the most famous work in the church and you can find it in the Oratory. It is considered one of Caravaggio’s masterpieces, the largest canvas he painted and the only painting he ever signed. Restored in the late 1990s in Florence, this painting is one of Caravaggio’s most impressive uses of the chiaroscuro style for which he is most famous, with a circle of light illuminating the scene of St John’s beheading. The oratory also houses Caravaggio’s Saint Jerome (1607–1608).

The tombs of the Knights

Hundreds of inlaid marble tombstones dating back to the early seventeenth century, cover the entire floor of the co-cathedral, from nave, chapels and the oratory. They are a beautiful sight to behold, with all the tiny little details, symbols and intricate marble work. Each one of these tombs is a commemoration of a Knight of the Order.

Several of them came from the most powerful aristocratic families in Europe, holding high ranks in the Order, from grand priors, admirals and bailiffs amongst others.

Latin epitaphs tell the tale of the buried knights with messages of triumph, fame, victory and death. Beautifully designed symbols add depth to each tombstone, such as the image of death represented as a skeleton, often with a sickle and an hourglass signifying the passage of time.

Another popular symbol is the angel of fame often represented by blowing a trumpet to mark the deceased’s honourable reputation. Crowns and coronets indicate the noblest of the knights.

Other symbols include armorial shields and weapons ranging from battle flags to halberds, helmets and cuirasses.

Apart from the tombs covering the floor of the church, you’ll also find a crypt containing the tombs of the Grandmasters, including Philippe Villiers de L’Isle-Adam, Claude de la Sengle, Jean Parisot de Valette, and Alof de Wignacourt.

Chapel of the Langue of Aragon

The Spanish langue’s chapel is dedicated to Saint George. A painting of the Saint on horseback can be enjoyed on the altarpiece and is considered to be one of Mattia Preti’s masterpieces. He used this painting as his portfolio when the Knights of the Order of St John were looking for an artist to paint the vault of St John’s Co-Cathedral–it did the job of course, and the rest is history.

Within the chapel, there are the funerary monuments of four Spanish Grand Masters – Raphael Cotoner (died 1663) and his brother Nicolas Cotoner (died 1680), Martin de Redin (died 1660) and a magnificent monument by Giuseppe Mazzuoli to Grand Master Ramon Perellos y Roccaful (died 1720).

Chapel of the Langue of Castile, Leon and Portugal

The chapel of Castile, Leon and Portugal is dedicated to Saint James and holds the remains of St. Clement which were donated to Grand Master Emanuel Pinto in 1747 by Pope Benedict XIV as a gift. On the altarpiece, Mattia Preti depicted St James the Less, while on the right you can see the artist’s interpretation of St James banishing the Moors from Spain, then on the left, the Saint again, kneeling at the feet of Our Lady of Filar.

Grand Masters António Manoel de Vilhena (1722-1736) and Manuel Pinto da Fonseca (1741-1773) are buried in ornate marble funerary monuments in this chapel.

Chapel of the Anglo-Bavarian Langue

This chapel, which is also known as the Chapel of Relics, is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo. Originally, it contained many relics that the Order acquired through the centuries but these were removed in 1798 after King Henry VIII quarrelled with the Pope, disbanded the knights and took all their property. When they managed to join the order again, they joined the Bavarian league – hence the Anglo-Bavarian chapel.

The altarpiece depicts the presentation of St Charles Borromeo to the Virgin Mary, and it is attributed to Beaumont. The gates bronze gates of this chapel were once the gates to the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament.

Chapel of the Langue of Provence

The chapel of Provence is dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel. Its altarpiece depicts the archangel leading God’s armies against Satan, and it also contains marble funerary monuments of Grand Masters Antoine de Paule (1623-1636) and Giovanni Paolo Lascaris (1636-1657).

The lunette in this chapel is dedicated to ‘The Apparition of St Michael on Mount Gargano’ by an unknown German artist, probably Lucas Killian. The cupola of the chapel is adorned with the coat of arms of Grand Master La Cassier. A bird, carved on the gilded walls of the chapel, represents a symbol taken from the coat of arms of Grand Commander De Verdelin, a main benefactor of the chapel.

A flight of steps inside this chapel leads to the crypt where Grand Master Jean Parisot de la Vallette and other notable Grandmasters that ruled over the Order of St John between 1522 and 1623 are buried.

Chapel of the Langue of France

Dedicated to the Conversion of Saint Paul, the altarpiece of this chapel depicts the Conversion of St Paul on the Way to Damascus, by Mattia Preti. The chapel is one of the most richly carved chapels in the Cathedral and contains a number of impressive funerary monuments, including those of Grand Masters Adrien de Wignacourt (died 1697) and Emmanuel de Rohan-Polduc (died 1797), as well as the Marquis de Wignacourt (died 1615) and a mausoleum dedicated to Emanuel de Rohan.

A very beautiful monument dedicated to Louis Charles, Count of Beaujolais can also be found in this chapel. He was the brother of King Louis Philippe and died in Malta while on holiday with his brother in 1808.

Chapel of the Langue of Italy

The Italian chapel is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception and Saint Catherine of Alexandria. The Mystic Marriage of St Catherine by Mattia Preti decorates the altarpiece. The chapel also contains the funerary monument of Grand Master Gregorio Carafa (died 1690). Fra Gregorio Caraffa was in command of the Orders’ fleet that defeated the Ottomans in the Battle of Dardanelles. He was subsequently elected as Grand Master of the Order.

The two lunettes inside this chapel represent scenes from the life of St Catherine with ‘St Catherine disputing the philosophers’ and ‘The Martyrdom of St Catherine’. The chapel of the langue of Italy has also two notable paintings ‘Mary Magdalene mourning at the tomb’- anonymous and ‘St Jerome’ by the well-known artist Caravaggio. The original ‘St Jerome’ is now housed inside the oratory after being stolen in December 1984. The thieves threatened to tear it up if they did not get the ransom. It was recovered in 1987, badly damaged, but was sent to Rome for restoration.

Chapel of the Langue of Germany

Originally assigned to the langue of England, the chapel was later given to the langue of Germany following the English Reformation. It is dedicated to the Epiphany of Christ and on the altarpiece, you can see The Adoration of the Magi by the Maltese painter Stefano Erardi. The lunettes by the same artist represent ‘The Nativity of Christ’ and ‘The Massacre of the Innocents’.The chapel of the langue of Germany was decorated in 1664. You will see the double-headed eagle, emblem of the German langue, carved on the walls as well as various other coats of arms inside the chapel.

This is the only chapel that has no funerary monuments dedicated to Grandmasters. The reason is that the only German Grandmaster of the Order was Ferdinand Von Hompesch, and his reign lasted only one year prior to the expulsion of the Order from Malta by Napoleon. Grandmaster Hompesch died in Montpelier.

The chapel was damaged during World War II and restored after the war.

The Crypt

The crypt is usually closed to the public. It is reachable via a set of stairs at the back of the Chapel of Provence. Here you’ll find the final resting place of the first 12 Grand Masters of the Order that reigned between 1523 and 1623. These include the celebrated Grand Master La Vallette and his secretary, the Englishman Sir Oliver Starkey who was the only man below the rank of Grand Master to be buried in the crypt.

The Nave

Once inside St. John’s Co-Cathedral, you cannot keep your eyes from drifting up to the huge barrel-vaulted ceiling over the nave. The central part of the church is a sight to treasure and remember. The vault is divided into six bays, each section pierced by two oval windows, on opposite sides, allowing natural light to penetrate the interior of St. John’s Co-Cathedral and illuminate the frescoes of Mattia Preti.

Down below, this majestic ceiling, you’ll find another impressive feature of the church: hundreds of marble tombstones, the final resting place of many important Knights of the Order of St John. The more important the knight, the closer he was placed to the front of the church.

The funerary monument of Grand Master Marc’Antonio Zondadari, nephew of Pope Alexander VII, is located close to the main entrance. It was originally meant to be installed in the Chapel of the Langue of Italy, but it was too large so it was placed in the nave.

The Fleming Tapestries of St. John’s Co-Cathedral

Another treasure inside the Oratory of St. John’s Co-Cathedral is the largest complete set of tapestries in the world. These 29 pieces, ordered from the weaver Judocus de Vos in Brussels are based on designs made by the Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens that he had originally made for the Infanta Isabella of Spain. These tapestries were given to the church as a gift by the Aragonese Grand Master Ramon Perellos y Roccaful when he was elected in 1697.

Woven from the finest wool and silk yarns, the tapestries measure over six meters in height. Some of them depict scenes from the New Testament, particularly from the life of Christ, including the nativity scene, the last supper and Christ entering Jerusalem. Other panels are portraits in the full length of the Grand Master Perellos.

The tapestries were made to hang from the cornice along the nave of the church during important occasions. Their large dimensions and the exuberant character of the designs make this set one of the most spectacular interpretations of baroque art.

How to get to St. John’s Co-Cathedral

With most bus routes starting and terminating at the bus terminus right outside of Valletta’s City Gate, it’s easy to reach St. John’s Co-Cathedral by bus. With your own transport, you can also drive to, and park just outside Valletta and get to the cathedral on foot.

From City Gate, it’s a brief 10-minute walk down the (main street) Triq ir-Repubblika to find St. John’s Co-Cathedral on your right.

Note:Although the main entrance of the church is located in Triq San Gwann (a side street of Triq ir-Repubblika), the visitors’ entrance is on the main street, opposite the law courts.

My tips for visiting

• This is the #1 place to visit in Malta, so if you don’t like crowds:Go early – before 11 am!
• I strongly recommend taking the audio guide which goes into great detail about the history of the church and the artefacts it holds. Use of the audio guides is included in the entrance fee. Languages available are: Maltese, English, Italian, French, German, Spanish, Polish, Japanese and Russian
• Allow a minimum of 2 hoursif you want to really savour the experience of this majestic place
• Make sure yougo up to the balconyto get a birds’ eye view from there
• Since St. John’s Co-Cathedral is a sacred religious place,you’ll need to cover shoulders and knees and take off any headgear. Backpacks should be worn in front of your body, a measure to safeguard the decorated walls. Stiletto or thin heels can’t be worn inside, to prevent damage to the marble floor and tombs. Unfortunately, there are no lockersavailable.
• Mass services are heldat 8:30 am on weekdays and at several times during the day on Sundays and Feast days. During these times the cathedral is inaccessible to tourists for sightseeing.

About Caravaggio

As you stand before the Beheading of St. John, you can’t help but feel overwhelmed by the impressive and inimitable talent of the infamous Renaissance painter known as Caravaggio. The bad-tempered Italian painter, born in 1571 as Michelangelo Merisi in a village outside Milan called Caravaggio, was a genius. His paintings combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, a study which he performs using chiaroscuro, a style with a dramatic use of lighting that came to be known as tenebrism.

Peter Paul Rubens, Jusepe de Ribera, Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Rembrandt are just a few of the artists influenced by Caravaggio’s chiaroscuro style.

Caravaggio trained in Milan before moving to Rome. He developed a reputation as an artist, and also as a violent man. In fact, a street fight in Rome led to a death sentence for murder and forced him to escape the country. He arrived in Malta in 1607 where he became a Knight of the Order. He stayed here for only two years, after which he had to flee once more, this time to Sicily. He died in 1610 under uncertain circumstances.

About Mattia Preti

Mattia Preti was an Italian Baroque artist born in the small town of Taverna in Calabria. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Saint John in 1660 and worked in Italy and Malta.

Preti, nicknamed ‘il Cavaliere Calabrese’ (the Calabrian Knight) started his apprenticeship with the “Caravaggist” Giovanni Battista Caracciolo, which may account for his lifelong interest in the style of Caravaggio. In Rome, he became familiar with the techniques of Caravaggio and his school as well as with the work of Guercino, Rubens, Guido Reni, and Giovanni Lanfranco.

His paintings adorn the Roman churches of Sant’Andrea della Valle and San Carlo ai Catinari. He painted frescoes for the church of San Biagio at Modena and participated in the fresco decoration of the Palazzo Pamphilj in Valmontone, where he worked along with Pier Francesco Mola, Gaspar Dughet, Francesco Cozza, Giovanni Battista Tassi (il Cortonese), and Guglielmo Cortese.

In 1659, Mattia Preti visited the Order’s headquarters in Malta. He was made a Knight in 1660 and spent most of the remainder of his life on the island, transforming the interior of St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta with a huge series of paintings on the life and martyrdom of St. John the Baptist.

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