Itria Valley


Itria Valley is an area located in Apulia region, in Southern Italy.
Itria Valley spreads over Province of Bari, Province of Brindisi and Province of Taranto, and coincide with the lower part of Murgia upland.
The towns of Martina Franca, Locorotondo, Cisternino and Ceglie Messapica overlook Itria Valley.
"Valley" is an inaccurate term, because Itria Valley has not the typical conformation of mountain area valleys: it is just a depression due to karstic phenomena.

History

Itria Valley place-name is probably derived from Basilian Fathers oriental cult of the Madonna Odegitria, patron of wayfarers, which founded - using a natural shelter right 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 - which nowadays is an interesting tourist attraction - was built in 1545.

Features

The main Itria Valley features are the following: