To spot St Paul's Church, just look ahead for a rounded sandstone building with a reddish dome and a grand staircase leading up to an ornate white doorway.
Imagine you’re standing here in the middle of the 18th century; the air is filled with dust and whispers of excitement as the townsfolk gather, eyes wide, to watch the first stones of a new church being placed right on this very spot. The old church, built way back in 1590, had become weary and abandoned, and so, in 1735, Archbishop Paul Alphéran de Bussan arrived, robes billowing, to lay the cornerstone as everyone from Cospicua peered on, probably hoping the construction wouldn’t get delayed by goats or rain!
By 1740, the church rose tall, its creamy stone glowing in the Maltese sun, and local artists raced to fill it with treasures. Inside, you’d spot a painting of St Paul’s dramatic conversion-a “whoops, I’m blind!” moment, painted by Rokku Buhagiar. On one side altar, you’ll see a painting of Saint Barbara’s brave martyrdom by Francesco Zahra, and on the other, a tender Holy Family by Ġanni Vella. If these walls could talk, they’d share centuries of prayers, moments of awe, and maybe a secret or two whispered during the odd long sermon. Welcome to a living piece of Malta’s soul!
