Church of St James, Valletta
| Church of St James the Greater | |
|---|---|
| Knisja ta' San Ġakbu il-Kbir | |
 | |
  Church of St James the Greater | |
| 35°53′48.0″N 14°30′42.1″E / 35.896667°N 14.511694°E | |
| Location | Valletta |
| Country | Malta |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Founded | 1612 |
| Dedication | St James the Greater |
| Architecture | |
| Status | Active |
| Functional status | Church |
| Architect(s) | Romano Carapecchia |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Baroque |
| Completed | 1710 |
| Specifications | |
| Number of domes | 1 |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Malta |
| Clergy | |
| Rector | Joseph Pace |
The Church of St James is a baroque, Roman Catholic church in Valletta, Malta.
Origins
The present church was built between 1709 and 1710. But the original church was built in 1612. There are many authors who claim that the architect was Giovanni Barbara but today it has been found that the real architect was Romano Carapecchia who designed a church in Roman baroque.[1]
The church building is listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.[2]
Exterior of the church
The façade of the church includes pillars, niches, windows and baroque designs. The church is 2 stories high. Above the main door one can see a big window. Above it one can see the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Castile held by two angels with a seashell on top.
Interior of the church
The interior of the church is built on the form of an oval excluding the sanctuary of the church. The titular painting was done by Filippo Paladini. It depicts St James the Greater at the entrance of a cave holding a stick and an angel holding a palm leaf symbolizing his martyrdom. Below the titular painting one can see an oval painting depicting Our Lady of Sorrows. It is a copy of a Spanish painting found in Madrid known as the Madonna di Soledad. The painting was brought to Malta in 1646 by cleric of the Order of St John.[3]
See also
References
- ↑ "Valletta - The Churches". Retrieved on 24 October 2014.
- ↑ "Church of St. James" (PDF). National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. 27 August 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
- ↑ "Il-Knisja ta' San Ġakbu- fil-Belt Valletta -", Malta. Retrieved on 24 October 2014.
