Itria Valley place-name is probably derived from Basilian Fathers oriental cult of the Madonna Odegitria (that is, ‘the Virgin Mary who shows the way’), patron of wayfarers, which founded - using a natural shelter located in Itria Valley - a monastic site where a fresco portraying the Madonna Odegitria was found.
Over the ruins of this medieval place of worship, located in Martina Franca, the Capuchin Monastery (in Italian: Convento dei Cappuccini) - which nowadays is an interesting tourist attraction - was built in 1545.
Features
The main Itria Valley features are the following:
trulli, the typical ancient Apulian small round houses of stone with a conical roof;