Mosta Dome

The basics

The church was designed by Maltese architect Giorgio Grognet de Vassé in the style of the Pantheon in Rome but built solely by local parishioners and volunteers, between 1833 and 1860. The interior houses Malta’s biggest, most flamboyant organ, with 2,000 pipes. Numerous half- and full-day Malta tours stop at Mosta Dome, often combining visits to Rabat, Mdina, and the nearby crafts village. A hop-on, hop-off bus also stops here

Things to know before you go

• Admission to the Dome is free.
• Remember to dress modestly out of respect for the sanctity of the Dome, and cover your shoulders, knees, and chest. Shawls can be borrowed at the door.
• Mosta Dome is stroller and wheelchair accessible via a ramp.

How to get there

Mosta Dome is in central Malta, west of Sliema, and is easy to get to by taxi, rental car, or on the hop-on, hop-off bus. Many municipal buses run to Mosta from the Valletta bus station, including nos. 31 and 35. The journey time is around 25 minutes.

When to get there

Mosta Dome is open Monday-Saturday, with a break for lunch for a few hours in the middle of the day. It’s also open Sunday afternoons. You can attend mass on Sunday mornings (although if you visit for mass, you’ll be expected to stay the whole time, and not take photos).

The Miracle of Mosta Dome

This church is best known for a miraculous escape in 1942, during WW2. On Sunday, April 9, the church was packed with 300 worshippers when three Luftwaffe bombs hit the dome. Two bounced off but one crashed through into the nave. Amazingly, it failed to explode, saving scores of lives. A replica of the unexploded bomb can be found in the sacristy.