St Paul's Catacombs

Saint Paul’s catacombs


Useful Information

photography
St Pauls Catacombs, Rabat, Malta. Public Domain.
Location: Triq Sant' Agata (St Agatha's Street), Rabat.
(35.8843, 14.3897)
Open: All year Mon, Wed-Sun 10-16:30.
Closed 01-JAN, Good Friday, 24-DEC, 25-DEC, 31-DEC.
[2021]
Fee: Adults EUR 6, Children (12-17) 4.50, Children (6-11) EUR 3.50, Children (0-5) free, Students EUR 4.50, Seniors (60+) 4.50.
[2021]
Classification: SubterraneaCatacomb
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:  
Guided tours:  
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: yes
Bibliography:  
Address: St Paul's Catacombs, St Agatha Str, Rabat RBT 2013, Malta, Tel: +356-214-54562, Fax: +356-212-41975.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

3rd-7th century catacombs used for burials.
12th century became a popular site for religious pilgrimages.
1894 first full investigation by Dr. Antonio Annetto Caruana.

Description

Rabat St Paul's Catacombs, Anne Oldham.
© Tony Oldham, 20-FEB-2002, with kind permission.

This is the largest of Rabat's catacomb complexes, an extraordinary labyrinth of narrow passages lined by rock-cut tombs. Like the catacombs of St Agatha, some of these have an agape table hewn from the solid rock.


Text by Tony Oldham (2002). With kind permission.

Malta has three main catacomb complexes. St. Paul’s Catacombs are the biggest, and spread over an area of 1.5 km². Originally 1,400 people were buried here, which have been relocated by now. The St. Agatha’s Catacombs are the second biggest, and there are numerous small catacombs in the area. The cemetery probably originated in the Phoenician-Punic period. Originally they were a deep rectangular shaft with one or two chambers at its sides. During the 3rd century neighboring tombs were joined, the chambers grew larger and more regular in shape.

The two halls at the bottom of the entrance stairs show two agape tables, circular tables hewn out of the living rock and used for ceremonial meals. This is a specialty for Maltese catacombs. The main corridors of the complex are characterized by baldacchino tombs, free-standing, canopied burials. The catacombs show evidence of Christian, Pagan and Jewish burials side-by-side and no visible divisions.