St Paul's Cathedral, Mdina — the Baroque cathedral of the Silent City

What is St Paul's Cathedral, Mdina?

St Paul's Cathedral is the senior cathedral of the Maltese church and the architectural centrepiece of Mdina. A masterwork of the Maltese Baroque, it is dedicated to St Paul, whose shipwreck on Malta is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, and it remains the seat of the Archdiocese of Malta.

Where is St Paul's Cathedral?

The cathedral dominates the main square of Mdina, the fortified former capital known as the 'Silent City', on a hilltop in the centre of Malta. The neighbouring town of Rabat, with St Paul's Catacombs, lies just outside the walls.

History of St Paul's Cathedral

According to tradition the cathedral stands on the site of the house of Publius, the Roman governor who met St Paul after the apostle's shipwreck around 60 AD. A medieval cathedral on the site was badly damaged by the earthquake that struck the region in 1693. It was rebuilt between 1696 and 1705 to designs by the Maltese architect Lorenzo Gafà, in a confident Baroque style, and in 1820 it was made co-cathedral with St John's in Valletta.

What to see at St Paul's Cathedral

• Gafà's Baroque dome and facade — the harmonious exterior crowning Mdina.
• The painted interior — frescoes and altarpieces on the life of St Paul.
• The marble floor — inlaid tombstones of clergy and nobility.
• The Cathedral Museum — nearby, with Dürer prints and church treasures.

Significance

As the mother church of the Maltese diocese and the spiritual heart of Mdina, St Paul's Cathedral links Malta's Christian identity to the story of St Paul's shipwreck. Its rebuilding by Gafà also makes it one of the defining monuments of the Maltese Baroque.

Visiting St Paul's Cathedral

The cathedral and its museum are open to visitors with an admission ticket, separate from services. Opening hours and prices should be checked with the cathedral authorities before visiting, and modest dress is required as it is an active place of worship.