Montursi
Montursi (Mendurse in Bari dialect, or Murgia, as the whole region is commonly called) is a frazione or section of the comune of Gioia del Colle, in the Province of Bari, Apulia, southern Italy. It has approximately 700 inhabitants. The neighbouring settlements are Castellaneta, Laterza, Mottola (all in the Province of Taranto), Matera (in the Province of Matera) and Santeramo in Colle (in Bari). Location Montursi is located on the provincial highway between Goia del Colle and Laterza, on the slopes of the Murgia plateau, in an area of steep slopes characterised by the presence of numerous hardwood trees (European oak, Macedonian oak, downy oak) and pine woods; the chapel of Saint Joseph the Worker at Montursi is located in these woods. Since 1959 his festival has been celebrated there on 1 May. In recent years the pine woods have been improved by the addition of a picnic area, a sports park and an exercise course. Also in the pine woods are buildings that formerly served as the local elementary school and post office, which are today used as places of assembly during the traditional festivities. There is also still an artesian well, used as a water source by farmers.