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TRULLI DI ALBEROBELLO
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 These gleaming houses (whitewashed each year) are curious, rounded
structures with gray, stone, cone-shaped roofs. They are trulli, common
in the province of Bari and Taranto, yet unknown in the rest of the
world. A great number of trulli may be found in the town of
Alberobello, which is nearly a city.
The town's historical center is on
a hilltop, amid the scent of almond and olive trees, and has been
declared an International Human Resource by UNESCO. It is made up of a
hundred trulli  some 5 centuries old.
The origin of their oddly-shaped,
stone teepee design is unknown. Although some theories date the Trulli
back 5000 years, the favorite story of their creation claims that such
buildings were first constructed during the Middle Ages. At the time,
anyone who built a dwelling on the King's land was heavily taxed. With
this in mind, the Pugliesi cleverly devised the drywall stone Trulli
solely for purposes of tax evasion.
As the story goes, upon word of the taxman's arrival (perhaps by means
of a smoke signal), the Trulli were rapidly 
dismantled and moved out of
sight. After the visit was over and that gentleman successfully ducked,
the homes were re-erected.
Nowadays, Trulli are firmly planted and
buttressed with stucco. A cone still comprises a single common area and
the interiors, though charming, are spartan. With the exception of
bathroom doors, the rooms are separated by colorful curtains in sharp
contrast to the stark whiteness of the interior walls
Mostly handmade
furnishing of olive wood, quite beautiful by any standard, are
representative of the work of the traditional peasant artisans of the
area. The hearth remains the source of heat to this day. Luckily,
Puglia is fairly warm and the cool stone Trulli provide relief from the
hot summer sun.
In spite of its rustic simplicity, the prices here are a bargain
(Puglia as a whole is a bargain compared to most of Italy).
Alberobello, the Trulli capital, is a fairy-tale city.
Fanciful hex signs  adorning each home add magic to the already bewitching setting.
A wealth of history, art, food and vistas, rivaling anything in Italy,
awaits you. The people, unvaryingly pleasant, are generous to a fault.
Maid service, bicycle rental, cooking classes and firewood can be
easily arranged.
Alberobello, while steeped in the past, does have a
train station, and it is only a single hour's drive from Taranto,
Bari or the seaside.
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other pictures of trulli see pictures of Valle d'Itriatrulli real estate vendita trulli go to pag. 2, 3, 4 , 5, 6, 7 |
