When you think of Maltese architecture there are three aspects that really define the island's history of construction - religion, defence and limestone.
The soaring dimensions of Malta's baroque churches and cathedrals are characterised by the huge domes that dwarf the surrounding buildings. Interiors lean towards the grandiose with gilded ceilings and arcades, elaborately flamboyant altars and canopies as well as vibrant paintings and frescoes adorning the walls and vaults.
Ecclesiastical edifices aside, much of Malta's civic architecture is a product of the 268 year rule of the Knights of St John whose heavy fortifications, combined with the later defensive measures commissioned by the British, shored up Valetta, Florinana and the Three Cities and created some of the most ostentatious architecture on earth.
Other architectural leitmotifs include the flat topped houses from Arabia and the medieval town centres influenced by the Aragonese from central Spain.
The one element that binds these diverse styles together is the prolific use of the honey-coloured, globigerina limestone which is still a popular material in today's construction industry.
