Church of Saint Barbara, Valletta

The Church of St Barbara (Maltese: Knisja ta' Santa Barbara, German: Kirche Sankt Barbara, French: Église Sainte-Barbara) is a Roman Catholic church situated in Valletta, Malta. The church was built to service the spiritual needs of the knights of Provence.

Church of St Barbara
Kirche Sankt Barbara
Église Sainte-Barbara
Knisja ta' Santa Barbara
View of the Church of Santa Barbara
35°53′49.2″N 14°30′38.7″E
LocationValletta, Malta
DenominationRoman Catholic
History
StatusActive
Founded1570
DedicationSaint Barbara
Architecture
Functional statusChurch
Architect(s)Romano Carapecchia
Giuseppe Bonici
Architectural typeChurch
StyleBaroque
Specifications
Number of domes1
Administration
ArchdioceseMalta
Clergy
RectorCharles Carabott

History

The original church was built in 1573 for the Provence Langue of the Order, it was the church of the bombardiers. It was restored in 1601 and completely rebuilt in 1739. The exterior of the new Church of St Barbara was designed by the Italian architect Romano Carapecchia. The interior was designed by the Maltese architect Giuseppe Bonici as Carapecchia died before the church was completed.[1]

The church building is listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.[2]

Architecture

The church was built in the baroque style. In the centre of the façade, just above the door, one can see a large gilded statue of the Immaculate Conception. It was erected in 1904 to commemorate the jubilee of the Immaculate Conception.[3] Internally, the church is centrally planned, having an oval dome typical of the baroque period and which is a very rare feature in local churches.

Present day

Today the church serves as the parish church for the English, French and German speaking communities. It is the only church in Malta that has services celebrated in the German and French language respectively. Also a mass in Tagalog is celebrated every Sunday.[4]

See also

References
  1. "The Church of St Barbara". Retrieved on 04 November 2014.
  2. "Church of St. Barbara" (PDF). National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. 27 August 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 21, 2015. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
  3. "St.Barbara". Retrieved on 04 November 2014.
  4. "Church dedicated to St Barbara", Archdiocese of Malta. Retrieved on 04 November 2014.
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