St Margaret, Sannat

The present parish church of St Margaret was built in the first quarter of the 18th century to replace a smaller chapel. This chapel, since 1688, was acting as the parish church to serve the people of Sannat and Munxar. The new church was eventually consecrated on October 19, 1755. It was further enlarged in the 1860s and blessed again in 1868. Two bell towers were built some years later and the majestic dome was raised in 1910.

The church façade follows from a grand stairway that funnels to the main portal, flanked by a balustraded parvis wall. It consists of a central temple-like bay, emerging from two narrower ones. Cluster Ionic pilasters separate each panel, having a wide baseboard at the bottom, a similar entablature above and a triangular pediment crowning the whole.

The main portal is a miniature of the central bay, complete with pilasters and pediment. Above the pediment is a frame with a carved motif.

The bell towers are of a typical baroque design, consisting of cluster pilasters on each corner, balustraded balconies, a wide entablature all topped by a wide cornice with finials on each corner. The whole is crowned by an elaborate pinnacle.

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority scheduled the parish church as a Grade 1 monument on August 26, 2011 as per Government Notice 782.