Saint John’s Co-Cathedral (in Maltese, Kon-Katidral ta’ San Ġwann) is a stunning Baroque masterpiece located in the heart of Valletta, Malta. Completed in 1578, this religious temple is known for its opulent interior, including Caravaggio’s “The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist”.

Saint John’s Co-Cathedral serves as the official church of the Knights of Saint John and remains an active place of worship. Its rich history, intricate artwork, and impressive architecture make it one of Malta’s most important landmarks!

So, do you want to know How To Visit Saint John’s Co-Cathedral This Year? Keep reading!

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Brief History of Saint John’s Co-Cathedral

Saint John’s Co-Cathedral was constructed between 1573 and 1578 by the Order of the Knights of Saint John. Commissioned by Grand Master Jean de la Cassière, the monument was intended to serve as the conventual church for the Order, following their victory in the Great Siege of 1565.

The building was designed by Maltese military architect Girolamo Cassar, who also oversaw several major structures in early Valletta. Dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, the patron saint of the Order, the church was elevated to co-cathedral status in 1816, sharing the title with the Cathedral of Mdina.

Though its exterior is austere and fortress-like, reflecting the Knights’ military roots, Saint John’s Co-Cathedral underwent a striking transformation inside in the 17th century. Grand Masters Raphael and Nicolas Cotoner ordered Italian artist Mattia Preti to redecorate it in a rich Baroque style.

Mattia Preti conceived and painted the vaulted ceiling and carved the ornate stone walls, gilded in gold leaf. Over time, the church became the burial site for over 400 knights, with intricately inlaid marble tombstones covering the floor.

World Heritage

Did you know that Saint John’s Co-Cathedral (City of Valletta) was part of Malta’s first set of inscriptions on the UNESCO World Heritage List? The 4th session of the World Heritage Committee took place in Paris (France), between September 1st and 5th, 1980.

Two other Maltese sites were announced in the session: the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum and the Megalithic Temples of Malta.

Nowadays, Malta has three heritage assets (both cultural and natural) inscribed on the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization!

In the meantime, I’ve already had the opportunity to visit two of them:

• City of Valletta (1980)
• Megalithic Temples of Malta (1980) – Ġgantija Temples

How to Get to Saint John’s Co-Cathedral

Saint John’s Co-Cathedral is located on Saint John Street (in Maltese, Triq San Ġwann), just a short walk from Republic Street (in Maltese, Triq ir-Repubblika), the main artery of Valletta. From here, you’re very close to other monuments, including the National Museum of Archaeology (130 meters), the Saint Francis of Assisi Church (160 meters), and the National Museum of Fine Arts (180 meters).

Valletta is largely a pedestrian area, and public transport does not operate within its historic walls. Buses stop at the Valletta Bus Terminal, just outside the City Gate, which is about a five-minute walk (350 meters) from Saint John’s Co-Cathedral.

Opening Hours & Ticket Prices

Saint John’s Co-Cathedral is open from Monday to Saturday, from 9 am to 4:45 pm, with the last entry being at 4:15 pm. Apart from Sundays, the religious temple is closed on public holidays. However, before your visit, I recommend checking the most up-to-date opening hours and ticket prices on the official Saint John’s Co-Cathedral website!

Tickets to Saint John’s Co-Cathedral cost 15€ (adults) or 12€ (seniors and students), while children under 12 enter free when accompanied by an adult. Admission comprises an audioguide featuring 20 stops, available in 11 languages: Maltese, English, Italian, French, German, Spanish, Polish, Japanese, Russian, Bulgarian, and Romanian.

What to See at Saint John’s Co-Cathedral

Nave

The Nave of Saint John’s Co-Cathedral (in Maltese, Korsija) is 53 metres long and 15 metres wide, with chapels for the eight langues of the Knights of Saint John. Once austere, it was transformed in the 17th century into a richly adorned Baroque masterpiece with stone carvings and gilded details.

Driven by the Catholic Reformation, the Knights of Saint John renovated the Nave to rival Rome’s great churches. Lavish marble work and exuberant Baroque ornamentation replaced its original simplicity, creating a sacred space rich in symbolism and grandeur.

The marble floor of the Nave contains over 400 inlaid tombstones honoring high-ranking knights from the 17th and 18th centuries. These tombstones display symbols such as skulls, angels, trumpets, and laurel wreaths, alongside Latin epitaphs and battle scenes that celebrate their virtues and deeds.

Monument of Grand Master Zondadari

The Monument of Grand Master Zondadari (in Maltese, Monument għall-Gran Mastru Zondadari) pays homage to Italian Grand Master Marc Antonio Zondadari, who led the Knights of Saint John from 1720 to 1722. Crafted in Italy at his request, the sculpture showcases the early 18th-century Romantic style.

The Monument of Grand Master Zondadari portrays the Grand Master as a fallen noble warrior, revealed by the allegorical figure of the Order lifting the flags that once concealed him. Too large for the Chapel of the Langue of Italy, where it was intended, it was placed at the back of the Nave instead.

Sacristy

The Sacristy (in Maltese, Sagrestija), completed in 1604 under Knight Raymundo de Vere, features a coffered barrel vault and coats of arms of the Bailiff of Majorca, the Order, and Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt. The altar has a statue of Saint John beneath Stefano Pieri’s “The Flagellation of Christ”.

The Sacristy reveals portraits of Popes Clement XI and Benedict XIV, and Grand Masters Ramon Perellos, Emmanuel Pinto, Jean L’Evesque de la Cassière, and Nicholas Cotoner. It also presents ceremonial flags, called the Colours, from historic Maltese regiments.

Chapel of the Langue of Italy

The Chapel of the Langue of Italy (in Maltese, Kappella tal-Lingwa ta’ l-Italja) is consecrated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria, patron of the Italian Knights. Funded by Fra Francesco Sylos, it exhibits Mattia Preti’s altarpiece “The Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine” and lunettes of her debate and martyrdom.

The Chapel of the Langue of Italy houses the mausoleum of Grand Master Gregorio Carafa, with polychrome marble, a bronze bust, and imagery from the Battle of the Dardanelles. Baroque details and coats of arms adorn the chapel, whose marble floor is home to the tombs of notable Italian Knights.

Chapel of the Langue of France

The Chapel of the Langue of France (in Maltese, Kappella tal-Lingwa ta’ Franza), assigned to the French knights in 1576, has a dome with French royal symbols and coats-of-arms. Its altar painting by Mattia Preti, completed in 1668, depicts Saint Paul’s conversion.

The Chapel of the Langue of France has four funerary structures for Grand Masters Emmanuel de Rohan, Adrien de Wignacourt, and the Marquis and Viscount de Wignacourt. In 1838, Giuseppe Hyzler redecorated it in a neo-classical style with simpler carvings and a white marble altar.

Chapel of the Langue of Provence

The Chapel of the Langue of Provence (in Maltese, Kappella tal-Lingwa ta’ Provenzja) was assigned to Provençal knights in 1603 and is dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel. Its 1753 altar painting illustrates Saint Michael defeating evil, in a post-Reformation style.

The Chapel of the Langue of Provence bears two late mannerist funerary monuments for Grand Masters Antoine de Paule and Jean Lascaris Castellar. The relief above shows the Order’s allegory, while the dome displays Grand Master La Cassière’s arms.

Chapel of the Anglo-Bavarian Langue

The Chapel of the Anglo-Bavarian Langue (in Maltese, Kappella tal-Lingwa Anglo-Bavariża) first served as the shrine for the Order of Saint John’s holy relics. The chapel’s altar painting by the French artist Claudio Francesco Beaumont reveals Saint Charles Borromeo being presented to the Virgin Mary.

The Chapel of the Anglo-Bavarian Langue consists of a marble altar with the remains of Saint Clement, a bronze gilt crucifix by the Italian artist Alessandro Algardi, and a medallion of the Blessed Sacrament. The bronze gate, once an iconostasis from the Chapel of Philermos, was replaced by a silver gate.

Grand Master’s Crypt

The Grand Master’s Crypt (in Maltese, Kripta tal-Gran Mastru) lies directly beneath the Sanctuary of Saint John’s Co-Cathedral. It serves as the final resting place for the first twelve Grand Masters who led the Knights of Malta, marking it as a site of great historical significance.

Among these, the tomb of Grand Master Jean de la Cassiere is uniquely positioned immediately beneath the high altar, symbolizing his pivotal role during the church’s construction. Other notable Grand Masters buried here are Jean Parisot de la Valette and Philippe Villiers de L’Isle Adam.

Sanctuary

The Sanctuary (in Maltese, Santwarju) is the most sacred part of Saint John’s Co-Cathedral, positioned behind the balustrades and centered around the high altar. You can easily recognize gifts from various Grand Masters and knights, like the silver hanging lamp donated by Fra Rospiliosi in 1669.

The high altar, made of rare marble, was also a gift from Grand Master Carafa. Behind it, a sculptural group of the Baptism of Christ by the Italian sculptor Giuseppe Mazzuoli anchors the apse, exemplifying the expressive elegance of the Baroque style.

Chapel of the Madonna of Philermos

The Chapel of the Madonna of Philermos (in Maltese, Kappella tal-Madonna ta’ Filermos) shelters the Blessed Sacrament and used to serve as a place of devotion for the knights. It once enshrined the revered icon of the Madonna, believed to be miraculous and central to the Order’s spiritual life.

Its dome is richly decorated with symbols of the Virgin Mary, and silver gates from the 18th century mark its sacred space. Although the original icon was removed in 1798, today the Chapel of the Madonna of Philermos highlights the Madonna of Carafa above the altar.

Chapel of the Langue of Auvergne

The Chapel of the Langue of Auvergne (in Maltese, Kappella tal-Lingwa ta’ Alvernja) is consecrated to Saint Sebastian, seen in the 17th-century altarpiece by Lucas Garnier. Lunette paintings by Giuseppe D’Arena add scenes from the saint’s life in Baroque style.

The richly gilded walls have floral garlands and symbols of the Langue: a crowned dolphin and a golden fleur-de-lys. The 1640s reredos surrounds the altar, and a white marble mausoleum commemorates Grand Master Annet de Clermont, with a bust and heraldic symbols linked to his legacy.

Chapel of the Langue of Aragon

The Chapel of the Langue of Aragon (in Maltese, Kappella tal-Lingwa ta’ Aragona) honours Saint George, patron of the Aragonese Knights. Crafted by Mattia Preti, the altarpiece captures Saint George slaying the dragon, while the lunettes depict scenes from Saint Lawrence’s life.

Four Grand Masters are buried in the Chapel of the Langue of Aragon, comprising Redin, Rafael and Nicolas Cotoner, and Ramon Perellos y Roccaful. Their tombs range from sober to elaborate, using symbolic elements such as angels, war trophies, and family emblems in high Baroque style.

Chapel of the Langue of Castile, Leon, and Portugal

The Chapel of the Langue of Castile, Leon, and Portugal (in Maltese, Kappella tal-Lingwa ta’ Kastilja, Leon, u Portugal) pays homage to Saint James. Also signed by Mattia Preti is the altarpiece and the two lunette paintings of the patron saint of Spain.

Grand Master Anton Manoel de Vilhena’s sarcophagus near the altar combines bronze and green marble with angelic figures. Near the nave is Grand Master Pinto’s restrained neo-classical stone coffin with a mosaic portrait and precious stone trim.

Oratory

The Oratory (in Maltese, Oratorju) was built between 1602 and 1605 as a devotional space for young novices. Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt requested Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio’s “Beheading of Saint John the Baptist” to inspire them.

His largest and only signed work illustrates Saint John’s beheading with dramatic chiaroscuro and muted colors. Ironically, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was defrocked in the Oratory of Saint John’s Co-Cathedral, in front of his very masterpiece.

Saint Jerome Hall

Saint Jerome Hall (in Maltese, Sala ta’ San Glormu) is named after “Saint Jerome Writing”, painted by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio in 1607. Sponsored by Fra Ippolito Malaspina, a high-ranking knight whose coat of arms appears in the bottom right corner, it once hung in his Valletta home.

The work demonstrates Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio’s dramatic realism and deep spiritual insight. Saint Jerome is shown writing, surrounded by symbols of penance and mortality, his red robe stark against the shadows. It remains one of his most introspective and emotionally powerful works.

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