From the 1660s onwards , many churches began to be constructed in the Baroque style , and they were characterized by large domes and belfries which dominated the skyline of the towns and villages . One of the most well-known and influential architects of Maltese Baroque was Lorenzo Gafà , who designed many churches between the 1660s and the 1690s . Gafà 's masterpiece is St. Paul 's Cathedral in Mdina , which was rebuilt between 1696 and 1705 after the original medieval cathedral was damaged in the 1693 Sicily earthquake . Other notable Baroque churches designed by Gafà include the Church of St. Lawrence in Birgu ( 1681 – 97 ) and the Cathedral of the Assumption in Victoria , Gozo ( 1697 – 1711 )
1693 Sicily earthquake
1693 Sicily earthquake
Maltese Baroque architecture