St John's Co-Cathedral
St John's Co-Cathedral is one of the narrated stops on the self-guided Valletta audio walking tour in Gingerguide. Plan about ~60 min here. Press play at the spot for its two to three minute story, or ask the AI guide anything about it.
- Type religious
- Suggested visit ~60 min
- Valletta Valletta guide
About St John's Co-Cathedral
The Order of St John's conventual church hides a plain fortress face over a gilded Baroque interior, a marble floor of knights' tombs, and two Caravaggio paintings.
St John's Co-Cathedral was built between 1573 and 1578 as the conventual church of the Order of St John, to a design by the Maltese architect Girolamo Cassar. Its austere, fortress-like Mannerist exterior conceals one of the most lavishly decorated Baroque interiors in Europe. In the 1660s the Calabrian artist Mattia Preti painted the vaulted ceiling with scenes from the life of St John the Baptist, and the side chapels were allotted to the Order's different langues, or national divisions.
The marble floor is a continuous sequence of inlaid ledger tomb-slabs commemorating around four hundred knights and officers. The Oratory holds Caravaggio's 'The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist' (1608), the largest canvas he ever painted and the only one he is known to have signed, alongside his 'Saint Jerome Writing.' The church became a co-cathedral in the 1820s, and forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage city of Valletta.
Did you know? Caravaggio signed his 'Beheading of Saint John the Baptist' in the red paint of the blood pouring from the saint's neck. It is the only painting anywhere that carries his signature.
How long should you spend at St John's Co-Cathedral?
Plan about ~60 min at St John's Co-Cathedral. That is enough to take it in and hear its narrated story; stay longer if it grabs you. The tour is self-guided, so there is no rush.
Is St John's Co-Cathedral worth visiting?
St John's Co-Cathedral is one of the 14 sights the Gingerguide team researched and narrated in Valletta, so it earns a place on a self-guided walk. Its story explains why it matters, and you can ask the AI guide anything the story leaves open.
Nearby stops in Valletta
Sources and further reading
Where to check the facts about St John's Co-Cathedral and read more:
Day 1 of the Valletta in 2 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of St John's Co-Cathedral
Preview the Valletta tour free in the Gingerguide app.