Worth a Detour
St. John's Co-Cathedral
The Knights' plain-fronted church with a dazzling gilded interior, a floor of marble tombs and two paintings by Caravaggio.
- Open
- Closed Sundays and public holidays; mornings only on Saturdays
- Price
- Paid; the ticket includes the Caravaggios and the museum
- Time Needed
- 1½ hours
- Address
- St. John Street, VallettaDirections
- Getting There
- In the center of Valletta, a 5-minute walk from the City Gate.
Why Go
The Knights built the church in the 1570s, and in the 17th century Mattia Preti covered its vault with paintings and carved its walls in gilded baroque. Some 400 knights lie beneath its floor of inlaid marble tombstones.
In the oratory hangs Caravaggio's Beheading of St. John the Baptist, painted here in 1608, his largest work and the only one he signed. His St. Jerome Writing hangs nearby.
Tips
- Cover shoulders and knees, and wear flat shoes to protect the marble floor.
Nearby in Valletta
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