A short walk south of the old town brings you to a low rise once dedicated to the Roman goddess Minerva. After the Ottoman sack of Otranto in August 1480, the surviving male inhabitants were marched here and given a choice: convert to Islam or die. Some 800 refused and were beheaded — their remains later transferred to the cathedral chapel.
The Sanctuary of Santa Maria dei Martiri now stands on the hill, a 16th-century church with a calmer atmosphere than the relic display in the cathedral. From the small piazza in front you get one of the best long views back across the old town walls and the harbour.