One World - Protecting the most significant buildings, monuments and features of Valletta (86)

St Francis Church on Triq ir-Repubblika was built in 1598 and was completed by 1607. After a few decades it developed structural defects and in 1681 it was built anew through the generosity of Grand Master Giorgio Carafa, whose coat of arms adorns the façade. The church was enlarged in the 1920s following plans by Emanuel Borg, which also included a dome. This required the removal of some frescos by Giuseppe Calì, which were replaced with others by Gianni Vella.

The baroque style convent is built on two floors (second and third floors), however, on Triq Melita and Triq id-Dejqa the convent is built above two floors of housing and shops in order to compensate for the difference in level between these streets and Triq ir-Repubblika.

A life-size franka stone statue of the Immaculate Conception adorns the corner between Triq Melita and Triq id-Dejqa. The statue is standing on a pedestal on top of a Tuscan column set within a corner giant pilaster. On the front of the column is a square marble plaque with a dedication and indulgences.

At an upper level is an escutcheon surrounded by elaborate sculpture and dated to around 1730. The defaced coat-of-arms of Grand Master Vilhena was supported by an angel and a lion. Above the escutcheon is a closed crown, while below it is a stock and pillar which were bestowed to Vilhena by the Pope.

Mepa scheduled the Church, monastery and statue of St Francis, the statue of Our Lady and escutcheon as Grade 1 national monuments as per Government Notice no. 276/08 in the Government Gazette dated March 28, 2008.