St Paul's Cathedral, Mdina

St Paul's Cathedral fills one side of the main square inside the walls of Mdina, the hilltop old capital in the centre of Malta. The present Baroque building is the work of the Maltese architect Lorenzo Gafà, rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake on the site of an earlier Norman church. The cathedral chapter records its consecration in 1703 and the completion of the dome in 1705. It remains the seat of the Archbishop of Malta.

The cathedral chapter describes the building as the mother church of the islands, flanked by two palaces in the same style: the archbishop's residence and the old seminary, which now houses the Cathedral Museum. Inside the church, look behind the high altar for Mattia Preti's large painting of the Conversion of St Paul, which belonged to the old Norman church and survived the 1693 earthquake. A succession of painters has worked on the interior over the centuries.

Tickets and opening times

As of November 2026, the cathedral chapter sells one combined ticket for the cathedral and the museum: EUR 15 for adults, EUR 10 for seniors (60+) and students with a valid card, and free for children aged 12 and under with an adult. The ticket is valid for 30 days. Both are open Monday to Saturday from 9:30 to 16:30 and closed on Sundays and public holidays, apart from limited access periods; tickets are sold until 16:15. Weddings and religious services can close the church at short notice, so check the chapter's updates page on the day.

• The museum is a separate building across the square; keep your ticket for both entrances.
• Combine the visit with the Roman mosaics at the Domus Romana just outside the Mdina gate and the St Paul's Catacombs in Rabat.
• The Mosta Rotunda is a short drive away and fits the same day.

Arrive by bus or leave your car outside the walls. This is a working cathedral, so dress as you would for a service and keep your voice down during prayers. A half day covers the cathedral, the museum and a slow walk through the lanes; our 3-day Malta itinerary fits it in neatly.