St. Paul's Cathedral

St. Paul's Cathedral

St. Paul's Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Mdina, Malta, and is the most important religious center in the area. It is said that the church was built on the site where Saint Paul met Publius after surviving a shipwreck off the coast of Malta. Publius, known in Catholic tradition as Publius, is regarded as the first bishop of Malta. According to the Acts of the Apostles, Publius welcomed Saint Paul after his shipwreck, and Saint Paul cured Publius’s father of dysentery.

According to tradition, Malta’s first cathedral was dedicated to the Virgin Mary but fell into ruins during Muslim rule. After the Norman conquest, it was rebuilt and rededicated to Saint Paul. The current structure was designed by architect Lorenzo Gafa and constructed between 1697 and 1702, replacing the Norman church that had been destroyed by the 1693 Sicilian earthquake. The church is built in the Baroque style and is situated at the end of a rectangular square. Its façade, facing the square, features three recessed Corinthian pilasters and two bell towers on either side. The interior has a Latin cross plan, with a vaulted nave, two aisles, and two small side chapels. The church is crowned with an octagonal dome, and its most distinctive feature is its richly tiled floor. Many of the church's decorations, including the baptismal font and the main door, are carved from Irish wood.

St. Paul's Cathedral, Mdina

Reason to visit: The most important religious center in Mdina

Continent: Europe【Europe】

Country/Region: Malta

Province/State: Mdina

City: Mdina