Set the scene.
On Independence Square, the first stone of this church was laid in 1810. The original building was complete by 1820.
Here’s the twist.
Population growth brought enlargement. That work began in 1867 and was finished in 1877, changing the shape of the earlier church.
Why it still matters.
Its paintings include works by Michele Busuttil and Giuseppe Calì. Compare this building with the later parish church: a growing village can leave more than one major religious landmark behind.
🧠 One to think about +
What does this story change about the way you see Malta today? Pick one detail you’d tell a friend — then check its source below.