St Paul's Cathedral, Mdina (must see)

St. Paul's Cathedral is a remarkable Roman Catholic cathedral. It is dedicated to St. Paul the Apostle.

Originally founded in the 12th century, the cathedral's history is intertwined with a legend. According to tradition, the cathedral stands on the very spot where the Roman governor Publius met St. Paul after the Apostle's shipwreck on the island of Malta. This historical connection has made the cathedral a place of pilgrimage and reverence for Christians around the world.

However, the original cathedral suffered severe damage in the devastating 1693 Sicily earthquake. As a result, it had to be dismantled and subsequently rebuilt in the Baroque style. The reconstruction project was carried out between 1696 and 1705, under the skillful design of the renowned Maltese architect, Lorenzo Gafà. His work on St. Paul's Cathedral is considered his masterpiece and showcases the elegance and grandeur typical of Baroque architecture.

St. Paul's Cathedral serves as the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Malta. Nevertheless, since the 19th century, its responsibilities have been shared with St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta, which is also of great significance to the island's religious heritage.

Adjacent to the cathedral is the Cathedral Museum, which was established in 1897. The museum's collection is a treasure trove of secular and ecclesiastical artifacts. Spanning from the 14th to the early 20th century, the exhibits encompass an array of religious and secular artworks.

Among them are medieval panels, which were formerly located within the cathedral, providing insight into the island's historical religious art. The museum also houses a money gallery featuring numerous ancient coins (although closed for refurbishment in early 2020), religious vestments, historical furniture, and a remarkable permanent exhibition of 76 original woodcuts by the renowned German artist Albrecht Dürer.