Church of Our Lady of Pilar

The church of Our Lady of Pilar is a 17th century church located in Valletta and was built as the church of the Aragonese Knights. But it was damaged by earthquake in 1693 and was built anew by resident architect and engineer Romano Carapecchia. Faced with the challenge of building a functional yet stylish building on land that was quite restrictive, he delivered greatly, leaving us today with a gem of High Baroque architecture. After the Knights Hospitallier left the island, the church and its treasures passed on to the state as it remains till this day. The chapel continues to play an important role in the community, having for years been both a place for the teaching of catholic doctrine, and a school run by the Franciscan Sisters of Valletta. In 2007 it was entrusted to Heritage Malta to ensure its upkeep and safeguard of its future.