St John's Co-Cathedral

From the street, St John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta looks almost severe: a plain limestone front between two bell towers with octagonal spires. The Order of St John completed it in 1577, soon after the Great Siege, to a design by its military engineer and architect Gironimo Cassar, and dedicated it to St John the Baptist, the Order's patron saint. The cathedral's own history notes that the austere facade reflects the sombre mood of the Order after the siege.

Inside, the contrast is total. Over the following centuries every grand master and many knights gave works of art to the church, and the plain Mannerist interior was transformed into the gilded Baroque church you see today. Mattia Preti, the Calabrian painter who came to Malta in 1659, covered the entire barrel vault with scenes from the life of St John the Baptist. The nave floor is a carpet of inlaid marble tombstones commemorating knights.

Caravaggio in the Oratory

Caravaggio reached Malta in July 1607, was accepted as a Knight of Obedience in July 1608, and painted two works that still hang in the Oratory: The Beheading of St John the Baptist (c. 1608, 520 x 360 cm) and St Jerome Writing. Within weeks of his knighthood he was in a brawl, was imprisoned in Fort St Angelo, escaped and fled the island. In December 1608 the Order expelled him at a meeting held in the Oratory, in front of the Beheading itself. A short docu-drama, Meet Caravaggio, plays in the Caravaggio Wing.

Practical details (as of November 2026)

• Visiting hours are Monday to Saturday, 09:00 to 16:45, with last admission at 16:00. The cathedral is closed to visitors on Sundays and public holidays.
• Tickets are EUR 15 for adults and EUR 12 for seniors and students; children under 12 enter free with an adult. The fee includes a handheld audio guide with 20 stops.
• A belfry tour costs EUR 5 on top of admission, with tickets sold at the entrance.
• The cathedral museum is closed for extension and refurbishment, and the Face-to-Face Experience in the Caravaggio Wing has been closed since 6 November 2026 until further notice.

This is a working church: dress modestly and bring a shawl to cover up, and leave stiletto or narrow heels at the hotel, as they are not allowed on the tombstone floor. Photos are fine without flash. There are no lockers, so bring a small bag. The cathedral recommends about an hour and 45 minutes. It is within walking distance of the Grand Master's Palace and the National Museum of Archaeology, so the three fit into one Valletta morning.