Churches in Gozo

San Dimitri Chapel

Gharb.

In an isolated spot anlid flat fields on the outskirts of Gharb, this small chapel played host to Malta's most famous legend. It is said that Muslim corsairs captured a young man and his widowed mother pleaded with St Demetrius for his rescue in a chapel that stood on the same site. St Demetrius leapt out of the altar painting, galloped across the open sea on his horse and brought back the young man. Thereafter the mother, Zgugina, lit an oillanlp round the clock and when an earthquake plunged the chapel into the sea, the lanlp remained flickering underwater. The present chapel, rebuilt in the 18th century is a simple structure with a pitched roof and a single belfry, evocative in its setting amid open fields. It is open erratically but a visit is worthwhile.

St George's Basilica

St George's Square, Rabat. Open 7am- 7pm daily. Admission free.

Built in the 17th century and set at the edge of the old part of town, St George's retains a medieval exterior dominated by two turret-like bell towers and a rich marble-clad baroque interior with a can. opy altar and some outstanding works of art -particularly the four large paint. ings in the chancel that depict salient events from St George's life such as the slaying of the dragon and the behead. ing of the saint. The titular statue is also elegant and enchanting.

St Mary's Cathedral

Cathedral Square, Citadel, Rabat.

Designed in 1697 by the Maltese architect Lorenzo Gafa, the Cathedral's facade dominates the small square behind the Citadel's main gate. The cathedral is a well-proportioned structure in local stone. Because of the small area available, Gafa designed a single bell tower (a classic feature on the skyline of the Citadel) as well as a dome that was never built because the parish allegedly ran out of funds. Instead, the parish commissioned the Italian artist Antoroo Manuele to paint a trompe l'oeil. It creates the illusion, when standing anywhere in the nave, of a real dome - an impressive achievement.

Ta' Pinu Basilica

Gharb (21556187). Open 7am-12.3Opm, 1.30-7pm daily. Admission free.

Set in open countryside at the foot of a hill between Gharb and Ghasri, the church was built in the 1920s to accommodate the ever-increasing number of pilgrims who visited the church where Jesus is said to have appeared to a peasant in 1883 in the chapel that preceded this church. Pilgrims continue to trickle into the church daily and most pray in the small chapel within the church, behind the chancel. The corridors that lead to the chancel are cluttered with the votive offerings of the people who claim to pave been miraculously cured or saved from death by the Madonna. Its beautiful stone interior has a  multitude of carvings and thick sculptures, the work of local stone artisans. Take a detour to Gharb (ta' Pinu is in the limits of the village) and walk around one of Gozo's most beautiful and best preserved villages.

Xewkija Parish Church

St John the Baptist Square, Xewkija. Open 6am-noon, 4-7pm daily. Admission free.

The latest church to be built in Gozo is also the largest. The church, with the highest dome in Malta, visible from every vantage point in Gozo, dominates the horizon for miles. It is a voluptuous baroque edifice with a circular floor plan, framed by a detached single bell tower. The floor has a geometric tile pattern and the dome is supported by a peristyle of huge stone columns that create beautiful patterns. The church is remarkable for its structural dimensions.