Strolling through the alleys of our small villages as in the larger cities or the country lanes, it may happen to come across small niches that house the statue of the Madonna or of the patron saints, decorated with simplicity and adorned with flowers, lights and frescoes almost always dating back to the nineteenth century.
From north to south, every corner of #Puglia preserves these small temples (aedicola in Latin means its own tabernacle, small sanctuary) symbol of an ancient popular devotion, built as thanks for a grace received or for saving the country from a flood or other natural disasters ...
It was the inhabitants of the town or district who commissioned the construction of the newsstands, sometimes simply to remember a missing relative.
Over time, especially in rural areas, these small temples were used by travelers to orient themselves in the countryside.
Even today, the elderly stop and mark themselves in front of the niches and the women gather under the sacred images to recite the rosary.
In particular, in the city of Bari there are about 250, some of fine workmanship, so much so as to deserve the candidacy for "Places of the heart" by the FAI.
