Sacred Itinerary: Visit to Incoronata Sanctuary
- Trail Conditions: On foot
Originally, the forest covered a considerable area, since it joined the brushes of Ordona (in the south), Montaguto and Troia (in the north), and Bovino (in the west). If you observe the maps of Capitanata from the 17th century, you can observe the evolution of the forest and its progressive reduction. According to estimates, the oak forest originally covered about 600 ha.
Despite the Tavoliere plain is considered a dry land, for its particular position it receives the waters coming from the mountains of the sub-Apennines and is rich in subterranean waters. This water system supplied in the past the forest vegetation and maintained the plain very green. The current watercourses - among which Cervaro (springing from Mt. Le Felci, 853m, in Monteleone di Puglia, entering the Province of Avellino and then crossing again the Province of Foggia between Panni and Montaguto) supplying Bosco Incoronata - were surrounded by thick gallery forests dominated by Poplars and Willows. The area was also characterized by wetlands and sometimes marshy areas, with stagnant waters fed by streams and subterranean waters that gave life to ecosystems rich in vegetation and animal species, above all birds.
This place is very known for the presence of Incoronata Sanctuary, a destination for religious pilgrimages since when, in April 1001, during a beat, a noble Earl from Ariano Irpino saw the Virgin Mary who asked him to build a votive chapel for the believers. By a miracle, among the trees of the forest, a dark wood statue representing the Virgin Mary with the Infant Jesus appeared, and is still worshipped by believers from all over the world. Bosco dell'Incoronata became a protected area with a decision by the Municipality of Foggia in 1990, in order to safeguard this ecosystem. The Regional Park was established on 15th May 2006 with Regional Law nr. 10. The protected area, covering about 1,000 hectares, includes various environments: downy oak forests, poplar and willow tree forests, grasslands, reforestation areas, the agri-ecosystem.
