A series of visionary drawings of Valletta by Italian architect Francesco Laparelli da Cartona are on display in the evocative setting of the Oratory of the Beheading of St John the Baptist at St John’s Co-Cathedral.
Grand Ambitions, organised by St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation, pays tribute to Laparelli, the military engineer and architect who played a pivotal role in the conception and design of Valletta, Malta’s fortified capital city. Its curated showcase includes a historically significant drawing of the island of Malta as well as four rare drawings of Valletta, on special loan from the Accademia Etrusca di Cortona. These works offer an extraordinary window into the city’s genesis ‒ from vision to reality.
Laparelli’s masterplan for Valletta was rooted in Renaissance ideals of symmetry, geometry and fortified strength. Commissioned shortly after the Great Siege of 1565, his vision was to create a city that reflected the Order of St John’s resolve and spiritual commitment, while providing military resilience. His designs laid the foundation for a capital that combined strategic engineering with architectural elegance ‒ a city forged in both faith and stone.
“Integral to this story is Laparelli’s trusted assistant, the Maltese architect and military engineer Girolamo Cassar”
Integral to this story is Laparelli’s trusted assistant, the Maltese architect and military engineer Girolamo Cassar. Cassar was tasked with overseeing the execution of Laparelli’s plans on the ground. After Laparelli’s departure from Malta, Cassar assumed full responsibility for completing Valletta’s construction. He not only supervised the city’s development but also left a lasting mark through the design of many iconic structures, including palaces, auberges and, most notably, the Conventual Church of St John the Baptist, today’s St John’s Co-Cathedral.
Grand Ambitions offers visitors a rare opportunity to witness the original maps and architectural plans that served as blueprints for the city. These documents bring to life the sheer scale and ambition of Valletta’s urban design. They highlight how the city was conceived not merely as a fortified bastion, but as a harmonious, living environment, one that gave due prominence to civic and sacred spaces alike. Chief among these was the conventual church, symbolising the city’s dual role as both a fortress and a centre of spiritual power.
“The exhibition is more than a presentation of historical artefacts; it is an invitation to reflect on what defines a city”
The exhibition is more than a presentation of historical artefacts; it is an invitation to reflect on what defines a city. Through the lens of Renaissance urban planning, Grand Ambitions explores how beauty, functionality, and purpose can be interwoven into a city’s very fabric. Laparelli’s plans exemplify this – their balance of mathematical precision and aesthetic harmony set a new standard for city building in the 16th-century Mediterranean.
At the core of the exhibition lies a compelling narrative of mission, vision and ambition. Following the devastating siege, the Order of St John was driven by a mission: to protect Malta and assert its strategic and spiritual significance. Laparelli’s vision was born from this need, to create a city of resilience, dignity and lasting beauty. And from that shared mission arose an enduring ambition: to build Valletta, a city unlike any other, planned with intention and built to inspire.
Nearly a century later, the artistic legacy of this ambition was further enhanced when Mattia Preti was commissioned to decorate the barrel vault of Cassar’s conventual church.
Preti’s dramatic paintings depict scenes from the life of St John the Baptist, transforming the church into a masterpiece of baroque art and reinforcing its central role in Malta’s architectural and spiritual identity.
The exhibition runs until July 18. Admission to the exhibition is complimentary with a ticket to St John’s Co-Cathedral. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with the very origins of Valletta and witness the architectural dreams that continue to define the Maltese capital today.
For more information, visit www.stjohnscocathedral.com
