Carmelite Church and Priory - Mdina, Malta - Baroque Bell Tower Above the Silent City

The distinctive Baroque bell tower of the Carmelite Church and Priory rises above the historic limestone buildings within the fortified city of Mdina.

This photograph shows the Carmelite Church and Priory in Mdina from an unusual distant viewpoint, with the tall Baroque bell tower rising prominently above the surrounding limestone buildings. The curved exterior of the church can also be seen behind the closely packed structures of Malta’s historic Silent City, while the dramatic cloudy sky emphasizes the silhouette of the tower. Formally dedicated to the Annunciation of the Virgin, the Carmelite Church was built between 1660 and 1675 and is believed to have been designed by the French military engineer Mederico Blondel des Croisettes. The church occupies an important place in Maltese Baroque architecture as the first church on the islands constructed to an elliptical plan. The Carmelites had moved into Mdina in 1659 after receiving an earlier chapel on the site. Following the earthquake of 1693, which badly damaged the medieval Cathedral of St Paul, the Cathedral Chapter temporarily transferred its functions to the Carmelite Church and remained there until the rebuilt cathedral was ready in 1702.