Rotunda of St Marija Assunta, Mosta Malta - Roman Catholic Churches on Waymarking.com

The construction of the Rotunda of St Marija Assunta, the Mosta Dome, was started in 1833 and completed in 1860. The dome modeled on the Pantheon in Rome with a diameter of 122 ft (37.2 m) is the third largest dome in Europe, bettered only by St Paul's in London and St. Peter's in Rome. It is on the same scale as the Byzantine domes of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. The fact that this is just a parish church in the town of Mosta shows the zeal of the Maltese for impressive churches. The Baroque interior is just as impressive.

It is a miracle that this church survived the bombardment of WWII, the siege of Malta when more bombs were dropped on the tiny island of Malta in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea that on London during the blitz. Three bombs struck the dome but none exploded. Two bounced off but one pierced the dome and landed in front of the main altar as the parishioners waited for the evening mass to start. My father-in-law, an engineering officer in the Royal Navy visited the church and inspected the unexploded bomb during the war. It was later disarmed and there is a replica of the 500 lb bomb on display in the sacristy.
bomb there

Type of Church: Church Status of Building: Actively in use for worship Dominant Architectural Style: Byzantine dome with Baroque interior Archdiocese: Malta Diocese: Malta Address/Location: Central crossroads Mosta, Malta Relvant Web Site: [Web Link] Date of organization: Not listed Date of building construction: Not listed Associated Shrines, Art, etc.: Not listed

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