St Paul’s Cathedral - Mdina, Malta - Baroque Dome and Twin Bell Towers

The red-and-white dome and ornate twin bell towers of St Paul’s Cathedral rise above the historic fortifications and palm trees of Mdina.

This photograph shows St Paul’s Cathedral in Mdina from an unusual side and rear viewpoint, with its ornate twin bell towers and distinctive red-and-white dome rising prominently above the surrounding walls and palm trees. The warm Maltese limestone catches the sunlight beneath a dramatic sky, highlighting the elaborate Baroque details of one of Mdina’s most recognizable landmarks. The present Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Paul was constructed after the medieval cathedral suffered severe damage during the earthquake that struck Malta on 11 January 1693. Maltese architect Lorenzo Gafà was entrusted with designing the replacement, which was completed in 1702 and consecrated the following year, while work on its imposing dome was completed in 1705. The cathedral is dedicated to the Conversion of St Paul and occupies a site traditionally associated with Publius, the Roman governor who, according to Maltese Christian tradition, received St Paul following the Apostle’s shipwreck on Malta around AD 60. Today the cathedral remains the principal church of the Archdiocese of Malta and one of Mdina’s defining architectural monuments.