Closeup of the Front of The Cathedral of Assumption, Citadel, Gozo
The cathedral, originally the matrice until Gozo became a separate diocese in 1864, is built on the site of three or more older places of worship, including Roman and Phoenician temples. Construction commenced in 1697, four years after the 1693 earthquake had damaged its predecessor and destroyed large tracts of southeast Sicily. (The cathedral at Mdina was another victim of the earthquake, and Lorenzo Gafa was commissioned to design replacements for both.) By the end of the 17th century Maltese Baroque had become more sophisticated, the simple swaggering effect having more impact than mere ornamentation. Here, the rectangular façade with its gown of stairs coming down from the Corinthian pillars lends height, and the escutcheon is that of Grand Master Perrellos in whose reign it was built. From the outside the façade gives the impression of a gloomy nave, but inside it is surprisingly pilasters on the ornate tessellated floor of tombstones. The single most interesting feature is a pure example of Gozitan ingenuity: due to lack of funds a dome was not added to the structure, so the Sicilian Antonio Manuele was commissioned in 1739 to paint a meticulous trompe l0eil in its stead. The clever perspective is at first too difficult to grasp – watch out for others walking around in dizzying circles craning their necks. From a distance, the domeless cathedral oddly fits in with the decapitated Gozitan hills. It is ironic that poor Gafa did not have the funds at his disposal to add his signature, a dome, in this, the last work of his life.
The irregular Cathedral Square, guarded by two toy-sized 17th-century cannons, once housed dwellings on the now vacant south and west walls.
Closeup of the Front of The Cathedral of Assumption, Citadel, Gozo
The cathedral, originally the matrice until Gozo became a separate diocese in 1864, is built on the site of three or more older places of worship, including Roman and Phoenician temples. Construction commenced in 1697, four years after the 1693 earthquake had damaged its predecessor and destroyed large tracts of southeast Sicily. (The cathedral at Mdina was another victim of the earthquake, and Lorenzo Gafa was commissioned to design replacements for both.) By the end of the 17th century Maltese Baroque had become more sophisticated, the simple swaggering effect having more impact than mere ornamentation. Here, the rectangular façade with its gown of stairs coming down from the Corinthian pillars lends height, and the escutcheon is that of Grand Master Perrellos in whose reign it was built. From the outside the façade gives the impression of a gloomy nave, but inside it is surprisingly pilasters on the ornate tessellated floor of tombstones. The single most interesting feature is a pure example of Gozitan ingenuity: due to lack of funds a dome was not added to the structure, so the Sicilian Antonio Manuele was commissioned in 1739 to paint a meticulous trompe l0eil in its stead. The clever perspective is at first too difficult to grasp – watch out for others walking around in dizzying circles craning their necks. From a distance, the domeless cathedral oddly fits in with the decapitated Gozitan hills. It is ironic that poor Gafa did not have the funds at his disposal to add his signature, a dome, in this, the last work of his life.
The irregular Cathedral Square, guarded by two toy-sized 17th-century cannons, once housed dwellings on the now vacant south and west walls.