Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Santuario di Santa Maria di Capo Colonna

The structure was built by the Basilian monks of Salice Salentino probably between the 11th and 13th centuries. In the 16th century, the church and the icon were described in a manuscript that tells of an Ottoman attempt to destroy or steal the painting that allegedly took place in 1519. The church was rebuilt several times over the centuries. In the 18th century, it was converted into a hermitage, and in 1897 it acquired its current appearance.