Gio Ponti's Taranto Cathedral Decays: An Urgent Appeal

The Co-Cathedral of Taranto, a masterpiece by Gio Ponti (1891–1979), is deteriorating due to neglect, prompting an appeal from architect and Ponti scholar Marco Romanelli. Built between 1967 and 1970, the concrete structure features a 53-meter sail-facade instead of a dome. It was commissioned by Bishop Guglielmo Motolese during the Second Vatican Council. Despite a restoration just thirty years after completion, the building now shows lesions and signs of decay. Romanelli, a longtime collaborator of Ponti's daughter Lisa (now 95), called for action in La Repubblica (Bari edition) via Lorenzo Madaro, urging cleaning, philological restoration, and public awareness, possibly through a conference. During the FAI Days on March 25–26, student guides led tours, and municipal workers cleaned the water basins, which are part of the design but currently empty. Archbishop Filippo Santoro responded with an open letter, stating the Diocese has undertaken conservation work for about twenty years, including full restoration of the sail and structural consolidation. He noted that these efforts are little known externally and suggested that a conference or exhibition of Ponti's projects could increase visibility and attract resources for further restoration.