Step inside the church the Knights of St John used as their first conventual church in Malta, before they moved their seat to the new capital, Valletta.
Church, Birgu. Meridian Dispatch.
Hours vary during services and while the parish prepares for its feasts, among them the feast of St Lawrence on 10 August. Set times are best confirmed with the parish before a special trip.
Visitors report that the crypt can be visited. Entry is through the side door of the church, and a small payment is taken to go down.
The main altarpiece is by Mattia Preti and shows the martyrdom of St Lawrence, the saint the church is dedicated to. Other works include paintings by Stefano Erardi, such as Christ the Saviour and The Dead Christ.
Lorenzo Gafà, one of Malta's most famous architects, designed the present church in the Baroque style. The building you see was completed in the late 17th century.
Look up at the dome before you leave. Wartime bombing destroyed it in 1942, and the one you see was rebuilt in 1952. The chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, bombed a year before the dome, was rebuilt in 1951.
The church precincts were the burial place of those who fell on the Birgu walls during the Great Siege. The building is still Birgu's working parish church. Visitors praise the welcoming volunteers and find it quieter and more attractive than the busier sights of the town.
Inside, head up the nave to the high altar first, then work back along the side walls on the way out.
From Valletta, take the lift from the Upper Barrakka Gardens down to the lower level and cross the road to the ferry station. The Grand Harbour ferry lands on Birgu's waterfront, and the church sits near the harbour at Misrah il-Helsien, a short walk away.
If you drive, park along the waterfront or in the car parks near the marina.
Want to sleep on the Grand Harbour itself rather than above it? Stay in Birgu: the marina is a few minutes' walk from your room, and Senglea and Cospicua are next door, within walking distance.
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