Legacy of the Knights - Cathedral and Palace｜Malta

Meet your guide in front of St. John's Co-Cathedral and begin your journey through the history of the Knights of St. John. Learn about their origins in Jerusalem and their arrival in Malta following the loss of Rhodes. Discover how the Order transformed the island into one of the strongest fortified states in the Mediterranean and built Valletta, the magnificent capital founded by Grand Master Jean de Valette after the Great Siege of 1565.

Begin your tour inside the spectacular St. John's Co-Cathedral, the former Conventual Church of the Knights and one of the finest Baroque churches in the world. Designed by the Maltese architect Girolamo Cassar, its austere exterior gives little indication of the breathtaking splendor within. For more than two centuries, the Knights commissioned Europe's leading artists, sculptors, and craftsmen to transform the church into a masterpiece of Baroque art. Every chapel, monument, and decorative detail reflects the wealth, devotion, and prestige of the Order.

Among its greatest treasures is Caravaggio's only signed masterpiece, The Beheading of St. John the Baptist, celebrated for its dramatic realism and regarded as one of the greatest paintings in Western art.

Continue to the newly restored Grand Master's Palace, the first major building constructed by the Knights in Valletta and the center of their political and administrative power. Over the centuries, the Palace also served as the Governor's Palace during the British period, housed Malta's first constitutional Parliament in 1921, and today is the official Office of the President of Malta.

Your guide will lead you through the magnificent Piano Nobile and its beautifully restored State Rooms. Admire the magnificent Gobelins Tapestry Collection, an exceptional series of French tapestries over 300 years old, renowned for their artistic and historical significance.

Discover the Palace Armoury, a collection offering a fascinating insight into the military strength and prestige of the Order of St. John, whose courage and strategic leadership helped shape Malta's history.