Church of St Anthony of Padua

The design of the new church, the first built in modern times in Terni, was assigned to the architect Cesare Bazzani and work began in 1924 and was completed in 1935.

The Church of St Anthony of Padua was built as a place of worship in the new workers’ neighbourhoods that had sprung up between the historical centre and the railway station due to the population growth caused by massive industrialisation at the end of the 19th century.

The building was severely damaged by bombing because of its proximity to the railway station. It was then restored and completed in the 1960s. Built according to a classical model, it is made entirely of brick. It is a large basilica with three naves and has got a monumental neo-16th century façade.

In 2010 the church was elevated to a diocesan Sanctuary of the Franciscan Protomartyrs, the first followers of St Francis. All of them came from the surroundings of Terni and were martyred in Morocco, inspiring St Anthony’s calling.