The architectural development of Maltese church domes in the baroque age

Abstract

The subject of this research is on the architectural development of Maltese church domes in the baroque age particularly covering the period (1573-1845). The focus has mainly been the evolution of their construction and stylistic progress and the direct impact of their forms from foreign architects practicing in Malta at different times. The objective of this thesis is to carry out a stylistic study of the exterior and interior of the more important domes including most of those that were either destroyed during World War II or were modified during the years. The structural nature of domes vis-a-vis the technical and historical data, have been treated extensively focusing on the opening of windows in the drum, the evolution of the buttressing system and the decorative schemes involved in the carving of their interior. Comparing and contrasting various domes and identifying a possible source of inspiration for the said schemes has been one of the key elements to make historical observations and parallels with other contemporary domes. A focus on a number of particular characteristics that have been encountered along the course of research have also been highlighted. This research exercise also aims at identifying later interventions which took place in the course of time. For the purpose of this study a specially designed database in the form of a gazetteer with a survey methodology was created for reference linked with the contents of the main corpus. Photographs, drawings and measurements of features of interest to this study were taken. Since the information on the full authorship of these domes is rather scant, the thesis aims to make a contribution to the knowledge of the domes studied within, to instigate further similar study on the history of domes in Malta. By the end of this research project it is hoped that a clearer picture of the evolution of dome structures and the stylistic changes that took place over the years will be identified and better understood. Moreover this study aims to create more awareness of the singular form of Maltese dome structures, and promote their appreciation.