St. Lawrence Church (from 1530) — the Knights' first conventual chapel in Malta, with a Mattia Preti painting and knightly tombstones. As beautiful as the Co-Cathedral, but without the crowds.
St. Lawrence Church in Birgu is the first conventual chapel of the Knights of Malta on the island. When the Order arrived in 1530, the existing parish church dedicated to St. Lawrence became their principal place of worship. Here the knights took their vows, here masses were said before battles, and here prayers were offered during the Great Siege of 1565.
The present church is the result of a 17th-century reconstruction. The interior is among the richest in Malta: Mattia Preti, the Calabrian painter and Knight of the Order, painted the altarpiece depicting the martyrdom of St. Lawrence. The floor is covered with marble tombstones of knights — similar to St. John's Co-Cathedral but without the crowds. The walls display coats of arms of langues and individual knights, creating a colourful heraldic mosaic.
When the Knights moved to newly built Valletta after the Great Siege, St. Lawrence Church did not lose its significance. It remained an important parish church in Birgu and is still an active place of worship today. The festa of St. Lawrence in August is one of the Three Cities' biggest celebrations.
Practical tip: Free entry. The church is active — keep quiet. The interior is far less crowded than St. John's Co-Cathedral, yet equally beautiful.
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Free entry. Keep quiet — it's still an active church.
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