Valletta was founded by knights of the Order of St. John - the order received knights from different parts of the world and had a number of communities, including Italian. The church of St. Catherine of Alexandria in Valletta was built specifically for Italians who are members of the Order of St. John. Outside, it is a small building with an attractive entrance, which has its own special style and charm. Inside the church is distinguished by its richness and luxurious wall painting: the best artists of that time were engaged in this. Traveling in Malta, take half an hour to get acquainted with the beauty and decoration of this church - the impressions will remain exceptional.
A bit of history
1576 - the date of the erection of the church: it was located next to the barracks of the Knights of St. John, who were originally from Italy. The corresponding speaking priests served in the church, respectively. The size of the church was initially very small, but the Order of the John Annites grew, and the number of Italians included in its composition also increased. This caused the church to expand soon: a new building was built, the old one became a sacristy, after which the attraction remained almost unchanged and has survived to this day.
Church Features
The building consists of a rectangular nave and an octagonal altar. The main entrance to the building is quite elegant: there is a canopy with columns above the doors, annexes are behind them, and a small dome is behind the annexes.
The interior of the church is decorated in red, gray and white: the dome is painted by artist Matia Preti. On the walls there are a lot of exquisite stucco moldings, cornices and other works of art that delight the visitors. The building has many gilded elements. The church is made in the Baroque style: bright, but restrained.
Interesting Facts
- The church was restored at the beginning of the 21st century
- The attraction is still an Italian church.
- The main value is the painting “Martyrdom of St. Catherine”
- The facility is the center of the Italian diaspora of Malta.
The object belongs to the churches.
