St Johns Co-Cathedral - Malta

St. John's Co-Cathedral (officially: The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist) is one of Malta's most treasured landmarks, known for its rich Baroque architecture, historical significance, and artistic treasures. Here's a detailed overview:

St. John’s Co-Cathedral – Key Information

📍 Location

• Valletta, Malta (capital city)

• Address: Triq San Gwann, Il-Belt Valletta

🏛️ Historical Background

• Construction: Commissioned in 1572 by Grand Master Jean de la Cassière of the Knights of St. John.

• Architect: Girolamo Cassar, a prominent Maltese military architect who also designed many buildings in Valletta.

• Completed: Around 1577, but much of the interior decoration came later, especially in the 17th century.

🎨 Interior & Artistic Highlights

Though austere on the outside, the interior is a masterpiece of High Baroque:

🖼️ Famous Artwork

• The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist by Caravaggio (1608)

  • This is Caravaggio’s only signed work and one of his most dramatic.

  • Housed in the Oratory of the cathedral.

🎨 Baroque Decoration

• Lavish interior with gold leaf, marble floors, and frescoed ceilings.

• The vaulted ceiling and side altars are adorned with scenes from the life of St. John the Baptist.

• Painted by Mattia Preti, an Italian Baroque artist, who also sculpted much of the ornate decoration.

🧱 Tombstones

• The marble floor consists of about 400 tombstones of knights from the Order of St. John.

• Each is richly inlaid with colored marble and heraldic imagery.

⛪ Religious & Cultural Importance

• Originally served as the conventual church of the Knights of St. John.

• Now serves as co-cathedral (shared cathedral) with the Archdiocese of Malta (with St. Paul’s Cathedral in Mdina).

• Still functions as a place of worship and is used for important state and religious ceremonies.