The greatest feats of early building engineering that Malta can boast of will unquestionably be found in the realm of worship. From the monumental neolithic temples to Richard England’s prayer factories, the islands’ history has been punctuated by major exploits of architectural splendour, most of which survive to this day.

Mosta rotunda photographed c. 1856 still under construction, from the Gennadius album in Athens.

A pity that the ecclesiastical authorities wantonly demolished in 1693 one of these grandeurs, the Mdina Siculo-Norman cathedral. Malta cheated itself of its own Monreale and Cefalù.

The new facade of Naxxar parish church being built in the 1910s.

This pictorial series relies predominantly on photography. And the earliest one in today’s is my copy from the Gennadius Album housed in Athens. It shows the incomplete Mosta rotunda, c.1856, with the lantern still unbuilt and the earthen ramp on the left-hand side over which the builders would carry the hewn stones to roof that utterly amazing dome, claimed to be the world’s third largest.

The basilica of Ta’ Pinu sanctuary, in Gozo in an early phase of construction, c. 1925.

Early photo of the parish church of Mġarr, probably from the 1930s.

The Xewkija rotunda in Gozo, under construction, probably in the 1960s.

Most of the images show holy edifices after reaching an advanced stage of construction. Maltese architects and engineers still resorted to well-tried and tested traditional building materials and methods, mostly profiled limestone blocks, mortar and the bonding force of gravity. But modern innovations start beckoning too – the colossal Paola parish church relied on reinforced concrete on a big scale. Today, that pioneering exception has overtaken the rule.

The cupola of St Cajetan parish church, Ħamrun being built in 1954.

The third dome of St Paul’s parish church, in Rabat being built after the second one collapsed in 1924.

Some eminent and historical churches suffered catastrophic damages that required massive rebuilding interventions. Wars apart, among the worst hit remains the basilica of St Paul’s, in Rabat, now proud of its third dome. In 1919, Lorenzo Gafà’s original cupola was remodelled by the addition of a lantern but, in 1924, an epic storm sent the whole dome crashing to the ground. It had to be rebuilt shortly later to a different design.

All images from the author’s collections.

Kalkara parish church under construction, c. 1949.

Sacro Cuor parish church, in Sliema still in an unfinished state.

The dome of MUSEUM chapel at Blata l-Bajda receiving its finishing touches.