St John’s Co-Cathedral, home to the Knights of the Order of St John for hundreds of years, is renowned internationally for its unique marble inlaid floor. It consists of a stunning collection of tombstones numbering close to 400. All where individually designed resulting in a most splendid array of images. The designs range in artistic style from the late mannerist period and high baroque to even the neo-classical period.

All the tombstones, the earliest of which dates to the first years of the 17th century, hold delicate inscriptions commemorating some of the most illustrious Knights of St John.

The challenge the marble floor is facing today is the ever-increasing number of visitors to the church. Visitors have for a long number of years, been walking directly over the marble intarsia, which has resulted in severe abrasions to the fragile carved details.

For this reason, the curators of the Co-Cathedral have installed a protective carpet suitable for heavy duty foot traffic. This has been laid along the main passages used by visitors and at the same time keeping most of the floor exposed for their enjoyment. The carpet is made from a highly resistant coarse vinyl filament having an open web.

Cynthia de Giorgio, Curator of the cathedral said the structure of the carpet is made to trap dust and dirt transported inside the church by visitors’ shoes while allowing the floor surface to breathe.

It is designed specifically to minimise the abrasive effects caused by the heavy foot traffic the cathedral is experiencing at present.