The Chamber of Architects (Kamra tal-Periti) is investigating the structural damage sustained by the Bartolott Crypt at St. John’s Co-Cathedral during renovation works.

The collapse of a newly installed floor caused significant harm to the historic burial site, which houses the remains of approximately 600 knights of the Order of St John.

Experts attribute the incident to poor design by the project’s architects. However, the Foundation of St John’s Co-Cathedral, overseen by the archbishop’s representative, Monsignor Emmanuel Agius, withheld this information until it was revealed by The Shift.

The damage incurred by the floor’s collapse.

Chamber President Andre Pizzuto confirmed to The Shift that the investigation is “progressing at a steady pace and remains ongoing.”

“We are currently assessing whether professional negligence played a role in the decisions that led to the damages,” Pizzuto added.

Delays and funding risks

The floor collapse, which occurred around April 2024, has further delayed the restoration of the Bartolott Crypt, located beneath the Cathedral’s Oratory. The project, initially scheduled for completion in 2022, remains unfinished.

The Bartolott Crypt beneath the Oratory at St John’s Co-Cathedral.

The raised flooring was designed by AP Valletta, a renowned architecture firm that has yet to respond to The Shift’s inquiries. The collapse damaged centuries-old flagstones covering three other underground chambers where the knights are interred.

The restoration of the Bartolott Crypt and the Caravaggio Wing—the only completed section of the project—is funded by €3.46 million in EU grants under the European Regional Development Programme (2017). With the Crypt still incomplete, it is as yet unclear whether the EU will withhold some of these funds.

In 2023, Foundation CEO Tonio Mallia estimated the total project cost to be €13 million and set a new completion deadline for 2025—both of which are now likely to be missed.

Conflicting reports on structural integrity

In April 2024, The Shift published a technical report compiled by project managers just weeks after the damage occurred. The report stated that following the installation of the raised flooring, “several stone slabs (ċangatura) have subsided in localised areas when subjected to normal service loading.”

The report was compiled by AP Projects—the same firm that designed the heavy structure that caused the damage. It proposed interventions to address the issue but raised further concerns about the project’s handling.

The technical report prepared by the architectural firm that designed the heavy structure provides pictures of the damage sustained.

These findings contrast sharply with a brief report by architect Alan Saliba, the Commissioner for the Environment and Planning at the Ombudsman’s Office, who conducted a site inspection and claimed to have found no damage.

The Chamber’s investigation remains ongoing.