Annunciation Church, Roman Catholic parish church in Tarxien, Malta.
The Annunciation Church is a Catholic parish church in Tarxien featuring two spires that rise above the town and a richly decorated interior with multiple side chapels. Inside, eleven side altars are distributed throughout these chapels, with a central marble high altar serving as the main focal point of worship.
A bishop founded this church in the late 1500s on a site where three earlier chapels had once stood, with construction starting in the early 1600s. The structure expanded significantly in the mid-1700s when side chapels were added to accommodate the increasing number of worshippers.
A large altarpiece painted by Pietro Gagliardi in the 1800s dominates the interior and tells the story of the Annunciation through its detailed artistic composition. This artwork reflects how religious painting became central to the worship experience in Maltese churches.
The church functions as an active place of worship with regular services, so visitors should check service times and dress respectfully when entering. The building and its interior remain open to visitors outside of ceremonies and religious observances.
The church was built on top of three earlier chapels that were gradually incorporated into the new structure rather than demolished, creating an unusual layout beneath the main building. This layering of religious spaces shows how communities evolved their places of worship over time rather than starting completely fresh.
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