Victoria - Basilica of St George

Behind It-Tokk is the basilica, the original parish church, built in 1678 as no more than a simple nave. The facade was altered in 1818 and the aisles, dome and transepts were all added between 1935 and 1945. Despite architectural meddling, the church has remained a pleasing structure.

It's interior, however, is the product of a contemporary and somewhat over-enthusiastic baroque school, and is only muted when the sunlight filters through the stained-glass windows. The bronze and black canopied altar with its barley-twist columns is a small copy of Bernini's in St Peter's Rome and the ornate vaulted ceiling and dome show colorful episodes from St George's dramatic life.

Hidden amongst the remodeled exuberance of