Archaeological remains prove that the Cathedral was built on the same site of a Roman temple dedicated to Juno. The present building was constructed between 1697 and 1711.
The Cathedral is a fine baroque structure in the form of the Latin cross and is built entirely from the local lime stone. The sanctuary was built on the plans of the Maltese architect Lorenzo Gafa.
A tall belfry with five bells at the back of the Cathedral replaces the more traditional and common two belfries at the front while a 1739 painting on the interior of the temple gives the impression of a dome when in reality the roof of the building is flat. This painting is a masterpiece in the art of perspective and sometimes it is not easy to convince first time visitors that the roof of the Cathedral is actually flat.
Another attraction of the Cathedral is the statues of Santa Marija (The Assumption of Our Lady) which was undertaken in Rome in 1897. The feast of the Assumption of Our Lady to Heaven is celebrated each year on the 15th of August, a feast day which is also a national holiday.
