Description
It’s destined to be one of the most famous – and the most visited – churches in the world.
But it took weeks of faxed blessings from Capuchin monks to persuade Italian star architect Renzo Piano – best known for creating the Pompidou centre with Richard Rogers – to design it.
The monks finally wore him down – and he’s been building a basilica for his country’s favourite saint, Padre Pio, ever since.
It’s almost finished. We journeyed to San Giovanni Rotondo in southern Italy to take a look.