Xewkija Rotunda - Gozo, Malta - Monumental Dome Above the Village

The Rotunda of St John the Baptist dominating the village of Xewkija in Gozo, with its enormous dome and twin bell towers rising above the surrounding buildings.

This photograph shows the Rotunda of St John the Baptist rising dramatically above the village of Xewkija on the island of Gozo. Its enormous central dome dominates the skyline, flanked by tall bell towers and smaller domed structures, while the houses and cultivated fields in the foreground emphasize the remarkable scale of the church. Xewkija became an independent parish in 1678, the first parish to be established outside Gozo’s historic main town. The present Rotunda was designed by Maltese architect Ġużè Damato, and its foundation stone was laid on 4 May 1952. The new church was ingeniously constructed around the existing parish church, allowing it to remain in use while the much larger building gradually rose around it. After the Rotunda was sufficiently completed, the old church was dismantled, with important elements of its historic stonework and decoration preserved. Dedicated to St John the Baptist, the monumental Rotunda has become one of Gozo’s most recognizable landmarks, its vast dome visible from many parts of the island.