Goings Ons In Malta

In keeping with my pledge to post more regularly, here's a bit of recent-ness.

But first, the weather. It's been much, much colder here than we were expecting. The nights generally get down to the lower 40's and I wouldn't be surprised if it bottomed out in the upper 30's the other night. We even got hail one day. And since buildings here generally don't have heat nor insulation, we now sleep in pants, fleece jackets and hats. Not what you would expect upon moving to the southern Mediterranean. We're hoping that we'll only have to bear this wintery chill for a couple more weeks, and are really looking forward to some warm and sunny weather.

Co-Cathedral facade, via Wikipedia

On most Wednesday's, Allison usually has a free day on which we try to get in some kind of activity. This past week, we headed into Valetta to check out the St. John's Co-Cathedral, the primary church in the capital city. Valletta is a tiny city, just the size of a few city blocks, but is home to 25 churches. Construction of the Co-Cathedral began in 1572, not long after Valletta itself was built following the Great Siege of 1565. The fortress-like facade reflects the somber and militarized times, when further attacks by the Turks were a major concern.

We weren't expecting too much from the Co-Cathedral, but we came away quite impressed. The interior is about as opposite from the exterior as possible. Knight of Malta and Italian artist Mattia Preti was commissioned to design the church and he created a masterpiece of painting, sculptural and ornamental integration. His paintings on the ceiling recount the life of St. John, and are separated by gilded ornamentation and sculptures. The sculptures were carved in-place from Maltese limestone, as opposed to the usual method of carving off site then stuccoing to the walls.

Another famous feature of the church are the paintings of Baroque master, former Knight of Malta, and general rapscallion Caravaggio. In the very early 1600's, he was recognized as "the most famous artist in Rome," but an unstable personality led to an itinerant lifestyle. After killing a man in Rome during a sword fight, he fled from a pope-issued death warrant, eventually finding refuge amongst the Knights.

Famous for his chiarascuro methods which use dramatic natural light and shadow to highlight important aspects of the painting, he created two of his masterpieces here, most notably The Beheading of St. John the Baptist, the only painting he ever signed his name to. Caravaggio was eventually expelled from the Knights of Malta as well, and ended up dying young, alone and destitute. Happy times.

In some of the pictures you can see that the floors are decorated as well. They are actually tombs of distinguished Knights and are covered with mosaics and descriptions of their heroics deeds. Common in many older churches, they always remind me of the scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade when he is in the library and realizes he has to brake through a similar tomb-like floor.

Small part of an amazing ceiling

Tomb/floor

Well, that's all for now other than a few pictures from around Valletta. Also, Allison and I really enjoy reading your comments so please feel free to leave them.

Bye for now and thanks for reading!

Valletta as seen from our 'hood

Allison pauses to ponder world events

Granaries outside of Valletta were built by the Knights and used by the British and Maltese centuries later during WWII to feed a besieged populace. 

Valletta's own Bible Belt

Curious like a cat. That's why my friends call me Whiskers.

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