The
Church of the Assumption of Our Lady, commonly known as the
Rotunda of Mosta or
Rotunda of St Marija Assunta (sometimes shortened to as
The Mosta Dome) is a
Roman Catholic church in
Mosta,
Malta. It is the third largest unsupported dome in the world.
Built in the 19th century on the site of a previous church, it was designed by the
Maltese architect Giorgio Grognet de Vassé. Its dome is among the
largest in the world, with an internal diameter of . The rotunda dome is the third-largest church dome in Europe and the ninth largest in the world.
Grongnet's plans were based on the
Pantheon in Rome. Construction began in May 1833 and was completed in the 1860s. The original church was left in place while the Rotunda was built around it, allowing the local people to have a place of worship while the new church was being built. The church was officially consecrated the 15 October 1871.
Mosta bomb miracle
On April 9, 1942, during an afternoon air-raid, a 200 kg
Luftwaffe bomb pierced the dome (two others bounced off) and fell among a congregation of more than 300 people awaiting early evening mass. It did not explode. Its replica is now on display inside the rotunda under the words
Il-Miraklu tal-Bomba, 9 ta' April 1942 ().
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