The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven is located inside the Citadel of Gozo. The Citadel houses multiple museums. I would suggest a visit while walking around the fortified city.Â
The church has been elevated to a cathedral in the 1860s when the Diocese of Gozo was founded. This particular church was chosen to be the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of the island.
Being inside the Citadel, the church had no easy history timeline.
Initially a Roman temple dedicated to Juno was developed.
Following the christianization of the island, the temple was converted into a church for the Virgin Mary.
Later, a Byzantine church occupied the site until it was destroyed during the Arab rule.
After the expulsion of the Arab, a Catholic church was built.
The church was enlarged over the course of time.
The place of worship was heavily sacked during the Ottoman invasion in the 1551.
The building was damaged by a large earthquake in the 1693.
A decision was taken to demolish the derelict and construct the present church.
The Cathedral is designed in Baroque architecture. It is dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in honor of whom a feast is celebrated on the 15th August with marches, bands, and a spectacular fireworks show.Â
