LA LEGGENDA DELLA GRAN TURNA
La Gran Turna is a picturesque trail located among the meadows of Borgata Sala. This itinerary winds through verdant hills, enriched by the presence of numerous farms that delight visitors with their authentic and tasty local products. Here, students, families, the elderly, and tourists regularly gather to enjoy pleasant walks, runs, or bike rides.
The name Gran Turna has legendary origins, with various versions of this ancient story passed down through generations. The place where the “Pilone Nostra Signora delle Vigne” and “Oasi della Gran Turna” stand was once adorned with a rock bearing a cross, commemorating an apparition that occurred centuries ago..
According to legend, during a period of severe famine when the harvests of wheat and potatoes were scarce, the exhausted and disillusioned farmers gathered to pray. In response to their supplications, one day a woman of extraordinary beauty appeared, draped in a cloak that covered her feet, emanating a celestial aura. Believers thought she was the Madonna, while skeptics saw her as a mysterious lady.
The lady blessed the fields, which miraculously became fertile again, allowing the farming families to overcome the famine. Then, just as she had appeared, the Great Lady vanished, and despite subsequent ceremonies dedicated to her over the years, no one ever saw her again.
In gratitude, the farmers erected a cross, loudly invoking her return: “Great Lady, Return!!” or in Italiana: Turna, Turna, Gran Turna. Hence, the name Gran Turna came about, in memory of that moment of hope and miracle that marked the community of Borgata Sala.
