St Paul’s Catacombs

Serving as a burial ground from Punic, Roman and Byzantine times the St Paul’s Catacombs represent the earliest and largest archaeological evidence of Christianity in Malta. It’s association to the saint derives from the myth that this cluster of catacombs was once connected with St Paul’s Grotto. Although this remains a myth, recent research shows that the two, originally formed part of a considerably large cemetery just outside of the ancient city of Melite. Indeed, it is now known that the hypogea were located in a cemetery with a very long history of use starting in, at least, the 3rd or 4th c. BC. The catacombs form a typical complex of interconnected underground Roman cemeteries that were in use up to the 7th, and possibly the 8th centuries AD. They are located at Ħal Bajjada area, which is also known as Tad-Dlam. The area has more than 30 hypogea, of which the main complex, situated within the St Paul’s cluster, comprises a system of interconnected passages and tombs that cover a