One World - Protecting the most significant buildings, monuments and features of Valletta (80)

The Jesuit church is one of the oldest churches in Valletta as the original building dates to 1592, designed by Valeriano. The plan of the Jesuit Church as planned was very similar to Giacomo della Porta's Gesu church in Rome. The church and college were remodelled in 1647 after the explosion of a nearby polverista, which caused damage. The plan and structure up to the level of the main cornice were retained.

The present façade of the church bears features of the baroque style. The attic and vault are credited to Bounamici as evidenced by the style and discrepancies in the stone work and mouldings at the level of entablature showing where the new structure was joined to the old.

The interior is influenced by Doric architecture. Its plan followed the Gesù in Rome, with a four-bay nave and seven side-chapels; the eighth, Onorati Congregation Chapel, opening from the nave leading to a door onto Archbishop Street. In the interior of the church the arches have a Palladian motif.

A life-size stone statue of St Aloysius Gonzaga is standing on a column at the street corner. The saint is holding a cross in his open arms and his right foot is resting over a crown and robes.

Mepa scheduled the Jesuit Church and the statue of St Aloysius Gonzaga as Grade 1 national monuments as per Government Notice number 276/08 in the Government Gazette dated March 28.