History and Curiosity of the Trulli of Alberobello

Known all over the world, as a UNESCO world heritage, the Trulli are one of the distinctive symbols of Apulia, the famous region in South Italy. Their origins and uses are in some ways still mysterious and the subject of debate and continuous study. What is sure is that the birth of the first Trulli dates back to the prehistoric age. In that period, in Valle D’Itria, the first human settlements began to spread and together with them the buildings of the thòlos, the dome-shaped funerary monuments. The structure of these tombs was taken then as an architectural model for the construction of the houses for farmers.

The Trulli, these masterpieces of Apulian architecture, have spread in different cities of the region, such as Locorotondo, Castellana, Turi, Noci, Coversano, Monopoli, Martina Franca, and Fasano. Despite the presence of these unique buildings in different areas of Apulia, the most famous Trulli are, without a doubt, those of Alberobello, a municipality of Bari. The Trulli here date back to the fourteenth century and, for the state in which they have been preserved up to the present day and due to their particular architectural structure, they became part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.

Their construction was carried out using exclusively limestone, without the use of mortar, timber, or other means of support. Some researchers think that originally the Trulli were designed in this way to be able to be dismantled quickly and to avoid paying taxes on new settlements. However, there are various theories. One theory states that the Trulli were used to communicate the arrival of state controls through smoke signals. In this situation, they were deprived of the dome, waiting to be rebuilt once the “danger” had passed.

The two elements that differentiate one Trullo from the other are:

• The pinnacle

and

• The symbols depicted externally

The first concludes the covering of the building and is usually composed by three overlapping stones of three different forms: cylindrical, bowl-shaped, and spherical. Its meaning is still a mystery and there exist various hypotheses. Some think that they are purely ornamental, while other think that they represent a distinctive sign.

As for the symbols drawn on the dome, it seems that each of them has a different origin and meaning. Some were auspicious to the inhabitants of the Trullo, while others were linked to the Christian faith.

In the historical center of Alberobello, we find now more than 1000 Trulli. Walking through the white alleys, it is possible to visit these characteristic building, while enjoying the warm welcome of the locals, buying souvenirs, and savouring the food produced in the Apulian territory.

If you have never visited Apulia, maybe the time has come now to organize your next vacation, and why not starting exactly from Alberobello? You can also stay and sleep in a Trullo and enjoy this unique experience in one of the most interesting and curious architectural shapes of human history.