Venues

The Our Lady of Victory Church was the first church and building completed in Valletta, Malta. In 1566, following the Great Siege of Malta, Grand Master Jean Parisot de Valette and his Order showed interest to build a church in the name of the Nativity of the Virgin to commemorate the victory of the Knights of the Order of St John and the Maltese over the Ottoman invaders on 8 September 1565. It was built on the site where a religious ceremony was held to inaugurate the laying of the foundation stone of the new city of Valletta on 28 March 1566.

The church is endowed with a number of artistic treasures. The paintings on each end above the altar depict St Anthony of Egypt and St Anthony of Padua which were brought to Malta in 1530 by the Knights of Malta after the Emperor Charles V gave the island to the Order of St John as its base. The church is also embellished by artistic works of eminent artists: Francesco Zahra, Ermenegildo Grech and Enrico Arnau.

Between 2000 and 2016, the National Trust for Malta, Din l-Art Ħelwa, started a project of restoration assisted by the Valletta Rehabilitation Project and the Museums Department. The guardianship of this historic church has been entrusted to Din l-Art Ħelwa.

Today, the church can be enjoyed in its former glory, and it is open to the public who can relish this national jewel for free. Furthermore, it is also popular for church weddings and hosts classical music concerts in collaboration with Barocco Foundation.