Sanctuary of St Maria Mutata

A few kilometres from Grottaglie, the early Christian sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin of the Assumption stood in the heart of what was once the Taranto forest. In the original small church, a stone representing the Madonna turned to the south was preserved as early as the 10th century. When the Madonna was found facing north towards Grottaglie in the 13th century, the faithful renamed it ‘mutated’ from ‘mutation’ according to legend. The floor of the church is embellished with 17th-century majolica mosaics from Grottaglie, including some votive offerings. The interior with its characteristic altar is enriched by the statues of St Joseph and St Francis of Geronimo and the simulacrum of the Madonna and Child. Today, it is the Mother Church that preserves the stone depicting the Madonna, while the sanctuary still has a statue of the Virgin preserved in an external niche. The sanctuary is easily reached by car following the provincial road to Martina Franca. Along the way, there are also the Stations of the Cross that lead up to the church.