St Paul’s Catacombs

The EHL Site

St Paul’s Catacombs are an important Late Roman burial complex in the central Mediterranean. The site was recognised for reflecting shared European values, including cultural coexistence, freedom of religion, equality, and intercultural exchange. Used between the Punic, Roman, and Byzantine periods, the catacombs uniquely preserve Polytheistic, Jewish, and Christian burials within the same necropolis.

The catacombs developed gradually from the 4th century BCE as the main Punic and Byzantine cemetery outside the Roman city of Melite. The site evolved through the collective funerary practices of Malta’s communities. During the Byzantine period, Christian symbols became more prominent while earlier traditions continued. In the 17th century, Giovanni Francesco Abela linked the catacombs to Malta’s Christian and European identity. In 2010, Heritage Malta embarked on a €4.2 million Archaeological Heritage Conservation Project, largely financed through the European Union’s European Regional Development Fund. Following extensive conservation and rehabilitation works, the site reopened to the public in 2015. 

The site offers guided tours, educational programmes and interpretation focused on late Punic to Byzantine Malta, funerary archaeology, and Mediterranean cultural exchange. Visitors can explore underground hypogea, triclinia, carvings, and artefacts linked to Mediterranean trade networks. The site also participates in European cultural initiatives, including the Camino Maltés de Santiago de Compostela.

Annual activities include European Heritage Days, academic lectures, educational workshops, and public heritage initiatives organised by Heritage Malta. 

European Dimension

St Paul’s Catacombs were awarded the European Heritage Label because they embody key European ideals, values, and historical processes connected to cultural coexistence and exchange. The site preserves one of the most significant Late Roman necropoleis in the central Mediterranean, uniquely integrating Polytheistic, Jewish, and Christian burials within the same funerary landscape. Unlike many contemporary European catacombs, these communities were not rigidly segregated, reflecting early evidence of religious tolerance and coexistence in Europe. 

The site represents several core European values, including freedom of religion, equality, human dignity, cultural diversity, and freedom of expression. Its funerary architecture and commemorative practices demonstraterespect for the individual regardless of age, gender, or religious background. The coexistence of different religious symbols and traditions within shared burial spaces reflects inclusivity and mutual recognition between communities.  

St Paul’s Catacombs also illustrate the historical foundations of European interconnectedness. Imported artefacts from Crete, Egypt, Italy, and other Mediterranean regions reveal extensive trade and cultural networks linking Malta with the wider Roman and Byzantine worlds. These interconnected systems can be understood as early precursors to the modern European concept of economic and cultural integration.  

The site is further connected to European integration history through its association with shared Christian traditions and pilgrimage routes, including the Camino Maltés de Santiago de Compostela. During the early modern period, scholars such as Giovanni Francesco Abela interpreted the catacombs as evidence of Malta’s historical place within Christian Europe, reinforcing ideas of shared European identity and belonging. 

The organization

Heritage Malta is the national agency responsible for museums, conservation practice, and cultural heritage in Malta. The organisation manages more than 90 museums, archaeological sites, historic landmarks, national monuments, and underwater heritage sites across the Maltese Islands. Its remit spans a wide chronological and thematic spectrum, ranging from prehistoric caves, UNESCO World Heritage site and other assets that include  megalithic structures, Roman buildings, necropoleis, industrial heritage, ethnography, and maritime archaeology.  

Heritage Malta is committed to preserving, protecting, and promoting Malta’s cultural heritage while ensuring that it remains accessible and relevant to contemporary audiences. The agency seeks to provide visitors with enhanced and meaningful experiences through interpretation, education, research, conservation, and innovative visitor engagement. A central aspect of Heritage Malta’s mission is to bring culture closer to the public by facilitating both physical and intellectual accessibility. Through exhibitions, educational programmes, digital initiatives, public lectures, guided tours, and cultural events, the organisation transforms museums and heritage sites into dynamic spaces for the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and dialogue. 

Heritage Malta also plays an important role in fostering national and European cultural awareness by connecting Malta’s heritage to broader Mediterranean and European historical narratives. Through conservation projects, collaborative research, and participation in international heritage initiatives, the agency contributes to the safeguarding and interpretation of cultural heritage for present and future generations.