Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Valletta

The Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Maltese: Santwarju Bażilika tal-Madonna tal-Karmnu) is a Carmelite Roman Catholic minor basilica dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, located in Valletta, Malta. It is one of the major churches of Valletta, and forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site which includes the entire city. The present church was constructed between 1958 and 1981 on the site of a late 16th century church which was destroyed during World War II. Pope Leo XIII granted a Pontifical decree of canonical coronation towards its venerated Marian image of Our Lady of Carmel on 19 June 1880 through the Vatican Chapter. The coronation took place on 15 July 1881.

The Carmelite Order had a presence on Malta from at least 1418, and it established a church and convent within Valletta shortly after the city's founding in 1566. Hospitaller Grand Master Pierre de Monte transferred a plot of land to the Carmelites on 27 July 1570; the deed of transfer was retained within the records of notary Placido Habel. The property was transferred for 66 scudi, but in April 1571 del Monte issued two decrees which rescinded this sum, such that the Carmelites were granted the land for free. Carmelite vicar Ġwann Vella commissioned architect Girolamo Cassar to design the church and priory. While these were being constructed, mass was celebrated in a small temporary chapel dedicated to the Annunciation. Inquisitor Pietro Dusina visited it in February 1575 and made a record of its contents. The chapel served as the first parish church of Valletta, until it was later absorbed into the parish of St Paul's Shipwreck. Cassar's church was completed in 1591 or 1608. Between the 16th and 18th centuries, numerous Hospitaller knights donated money, property or artworks to the Carmelite friars, and one such knight, Girolamo de Fosses, paid for the construction of a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Pilar within the church. The building was especially patronised by knights from the German langue who were based in the nearby Auberge d'Allemagne and did not have their own dedicated church. In 1852, a new façade was constructed to designs of architect Giuseppe Bonavia,

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