Seen from the sea, Positano is set in a dramatic vertical panorama of colors; the green of the Monti Lattari, the white, pink, and yellow of the Mediterranean houses; the silvery gray of its pebble beaches; and the blue of the sea. In ancient times, a Turkish boat became beached just off the shores of what has since come to be known as Positano. Aboard the ship, there was a painting of the Virgin Mary. The captain heard the painting whisper "pose, pose" ('set me down, set me down') and obediently, threw the image into the sea. Miraculously, the ship floated free and was saved. The locals built a Church on the spot where the painting washed ashore, interpreting the episode as a sign that the Virgin had chosen their town as a resting place.