In the early 1960s, the archbishop of Taranto, Monsignor Guglielmo Motolese, entrusted the architect Gio Ponti to design a modern cathedral in the new part of the city, as the old one was too small to accommodate large celebrations.
The architect designed a highly innovative sail-shaped cathedral between 1964 and 1966. The foundation stone was laid in 1967 and the cathedral was inaugurated on 6th December 1970, dedicating it to the Great Mother of God.