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Island of Malta
Valletta
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St. John's Co-Cathedral
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St. John's Co-Cathedral

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See all things to do
St. John's Co-Cathedral
4.5
12,251 reviews
#1 of 158 things to do in Valletta
Historic Sites • Architectural Buildings • Religious Sites • Churches & Cathedrals
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9:00 AM - 4:15 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:15 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 4:15 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:15 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:15 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:15 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:15 PM
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About
Built between 1573 and 1577, this cathedral contains two masterpieces by Caravaggio. St John’s Co-Cathedral is a gem of Baroque art and architecture. It was built as the conventual church for the Knights of St John. This church is till this very day an important shrine and a sacred place of worship. It is also a venue for cultural events. The construction was commissioned in 1572 by Grand Master Jean de la Cassière to serve as the conventual church of the Knights of Malta and designed by the Maltese military architect Gerolamo Cassar. The church was dedicated to St John the Baptist, the patron saint of the Order. The oratory holds the biggest and only signed masterpiece by Caravaggio. St John’s church is administered by the St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation responsible for the religious cultural heritage of the monument.
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
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Admission tickets
from $18.80
All you need to step foot in the door.
Full view
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The area
Best nearby
Restaurants
1,109 within 3 miles
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391 within 6 miles
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
12,254 reviews
Excellent
9,431
Very good
2,242
Average
418
Poor
88
Terrible
75
Wfamily_03
Rugby, UK90 contributions
Wow!
May 2023 • Couples
What a building! Absolutely stunning. If you only see one thing in Malta it’s got to be this cathedral. Very busy, audio guide gives you a lot of information.
An absolute must do.
Written May 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paul H
Great Dunmow, UK51 contributions
Brilliant
May 2023 • Couples
My wife & I visited on Friday just & we were both overwhelmed by the place. Neither of us are particularly religious, but this place really is something special & worth a visit. Unfortunately my phone died half way round, so couldn’t take a full complement of photos!!
Written May 28, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Moniaits
London, UK1,374 contributions
Exquisite art and tapestries.
May 2023 • Couples
As cathedrals go this is one of the best. Exquisite art work and tapestries. Need about an hour in order to see it properly. The audio guide is very informative.
Written May 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JES1London
London, UK203 contributions
Quite overwhelming!
May 2023
Quite overwhelming in the beauty and workmanship of this stunning Cathedral.
We found that booking on line was the perfect way to walk past the crowds waiting to enter. Go early too .. that avoids the large groups and do not miss the glorious Caravaggio almost at the exit.
The handset is a bit of a challenge but so worth while.
An excellent visit not to be missed !
Written May 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Patricia W
3 contributions
The wait in the queue seemed longer than the actual visit inside
May 2023 • Couples
It was okay, I think we expected it to be a lot bigger but nonetheless incredible to see. I wish there was plaques you could read rather than an audio guide. Something quick to do while in Valletta
Written May 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Linda
Kent, UK85 contributions
Absolutely beautiful interior
May 2023
Priced admission may seem a bit expensive but with audio there is a full description. Beautiful inside
Written May 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
singhasam
Weymouth, UK3,671 contributions
A masterpiece
May 2023 • Solo
IF you do nothing else during your visit to Malta then you must go to St Paul's Co-Cathedral.
Quite simply it is one of the greatest structures I have ever been inside including graves of the pharaohs and the Grand Palace at Bangkok.
Many of the Knights of St John are buried beneath the floor of the cathedral but in a way which provides visitors with a breath-taking spectacle.
Every knight buried lies beneath a tomb cover of marble cut in a kaleidoscope of different colours.
Scenes chosen range from angels to Death, from geometric patterns to armorial shields, each tomb cover being painstakingly created to mark each knight's last resting place.
This on its own would be spectacular enough to leave a lasting impression but the glory of the cathedral had barely started.
Enormous multi-coloured tapestries hung on the walls, superb paintings, sculptures and wall decorations adorned each chapel dedicated to various saints within the cathedral while the soaring main roof gave visitors a crick in their necks as they strained in wonder to look at every last painted scene above them.
There is even an opportunity to descend a flight of stone steps down to visit the Grand Masters' crypt.
One of the jewels in St John's crown has to be the fabulous paintings of the famous artist, Caravaggio.
Works include what is regarded as his masterpiece, The Beheading of St John the Baptist, which hangs in the oratory.
Entry to the cathedral cost 12 Euros and visitors can take an audio guide which is very good, each section of the cathedral being numbered. All you do is identify the section you are looking at and click the relevant audio guide number to get a commentary about what you are looking at.
Naturally with such a popular attraction you get the queues to go with it. It took me nearly an hour to get inside but the wait was well worthwhile.
I was lucky. The weather outside was overcast, but on a hot day surrounded by stone it could be a difficult wait for some people, so my advice would be to make sure you have a hat, sun cream and a bottle of water with you.
Don't miss this architectural and religious wonder. Once seen you will never forget it.
Written May 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nancy
6 contributions
A must see in Valletta
May 2023
We did wait until the queue died down as I hate queuing. This is arguably the most famous building in Valletta an so so worth seeing
Written May 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RuthyGlasgow
Glasgow709 contributions
Just Beautiful
May 2023
It was supposed to open at 9am but for whatever reason they opened at 9.20am. Once inside it is a treasure trove, absolutely beautiful and so glad I waited. The history, paintings etc just wonderful to see. Audio guide was worthwhile. I didn't book on line but was at the beginning of the queue so got in fine, but it filled up very quickly.
Written May 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Véronique B
4 contributions
A masterpiece of baroque art, buy tickets on line!
May 2023 • Friends
If you enjoy Baroque art, then this is definitely the place for you!
Make sure you purchase the tickets on line (there’s a sign with a QR code by the entrance) so you can skip the very long line. Entrance fee comes with detailed audio guide.
Written May 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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St. John's Co-Cathedral, Valletta

Frequently Asked Questions about St. John's Co-Cathedral
St. John's Co-Cathedral is open:
  • Mon - Sat 9:00 AM - 4:15 PM
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
St. John's Co-Cathedral admission prices can vary. Entrance tickets currently cost $18.60, while a popular guided tour starts around $6.00 per person. See all 33 St. John's Co-Cathedral tickets and tours on Tripadvisor
St. John's Co-Cathedral can be crowded, so we recommend booking e-tickets ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund. See all 33 St. John's Co-Cathedral tickets and tours on Tripadvisor
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