San Giovanni Rotondo, Religious pilgrimage center in Foggia Province, Italy.
San Giovanni Rotondo is a commune on the Gargano plateau in Foggia Province that spreads across hilly landscape with olive groves and oak forests. Streets lead to churches, monasteries, and the large medical complex that shapes the town's layout.
The settlement arose in medieval times around a circular baptistery built over the remains of an older temple. During the 20th century it became a major pilgrimage site after Padre Pio arrived in 1916 and remained until his death in 1968.
Residents organize regular devotions and festivals that recall the decades when Padre Pio lived and worked here. Pilgrims from many countries arrive to attend services and visit sites connected to his life.
Visitors find accommodations and restaurants near the religious sites, as well as parking areas on the edge of town. Main sites lie within walking distance in the center, though some paths climb uphill and require sturdy footwear.
The old baptistery that gave the town its name has an unusual circular form and still stands as a witness to early Christian architecture. Few visitors realize the hospital was founded by the Capuchin friar himself to combine modern medicine with spiritual care.
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