The Grotto of Sant'Oronzo

The Territory of Turi: The Sacred Grotto of Saint Oronzo

The territory of Turi is also rich in karst caves and sinkholes, among which the grotto dedicated to the cult of the evangelising Saint of Apulia stands out as the only one accessible and properly studied. This grotto has been used for religious worship at least since the medieval period, originally hosting various altars for different devotions over time, later replaced by the veneration of the Lecce Saint.

According to Oronzian tradition, the site was definitively consecrated for the cult of Saint Oronzo after the plague of 1656–1658, which claimed around 800 lives in Turi. The Saint, promising to intercede for the end of the deadly epidemic, revealed the forgotten access to a young girl in prayer.

In the 18th century, the grotto became the crypt of the large church built above it, protecting it from the elements and accommodating the growing number of devotees. Inside, it houses a precious altar, the highlight of which is the magnificent 18th-century floor, composed of 238 majolica tiles. These tiles showcase the imaginative and varied decorative repertoire of Laertine ceramics from the first half of the 18th century, representing the most significant catalogue of its kind.