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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.


Victoria is the capital town of the island of Gozo. The name Victoria, locally known as Rabat, was given to the medieval town of Gozo in 1887 in honour of the famous British Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations. At the same instance, the town was also raised to the status of a city; then officially known as Citta' Victoria.

The town of Victoria embraces both the Citadel, the ancient city of the Island, as well as Rabat, the old suburb of the Citadel. Rabat in Arabic and Archaic Maltese stands for suburb and this name was first documented as Rabbatum in a notorial deed drawn by Andrea de Beniamin on 22nd February 1455. Its motto is A magna maxima (From great supreme). The coat-of-arms has an azure background and portrays a shield with three hills and the letters VR (which stand for Victoria Regina) on top of the shield. There are many places of historical and cultural interest in Victoria and a visit to the Citadel is considered a must. From these fortifications one can enjoy a superb view of the whole Island. Also within the Citadel there is the Gozo Cathedral and the Law Courts, as well as the Cathedral Museum, the Gozo Museum of Archaeology, the Folklore Museum,theCitadel Armoury,the Folklore Museum,the Old Prison, and the Natural Science Museum.
(source: www.gozo.gov.mt)