But did you know that the trulli of Alberobello have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Well this prestigious recognition arrived in 1996. The trulli, according to Unesco, "constitute an extraordinary example of building typology". A beautiful and fascinating place of ours Italy. You know the story of Alberobello and its characteristic constructions? Let's try to tell you about it.
The trulli of Alberobello, a bit of history
The origins of the trulli Puglia they would go back to the ancient age. They are constructions in limestone, dry slab. This technique dates back even to prehistoric times. The only one Alberobello has more than 1500 structures in the districts of Monti and Aja Piccola. According to some research started over time, the half of the sixteenth century the area of Monti was already occupied by about forty trulli. In 1620 Alberobello acquired the appearance of an independent settlement and at the end of the eighteenth century it obtained the title of royal city from the King of Naples, Ferdinand IV of Bourbon.
The origin of the word "trullo"
The term with which this characteristic construction is indicated derives from the Latin tower, trulla, or from the Greek tholos, or from the Greek-Byzantine torullosa. These terms mean dome, the top of these constructions with the characteristic conical shape. Used as temporary shelter for farmers or storage for their tools, inside the farms they cultivated. They were therefore of only one room where the peasant lived. There was a bed for sleeping and a space for storing tools. For larger families, mezzanines were built and wooden architraves were added to hang food, supplies, tools and crockery. They are built with the dry masonry technique. The walls are thick from 80 cm to 270 cm. They have characteristics that make them an avant-garde in construction. In fact, the cold in winter is isolated, and the interiors are warm. In the summer, the environment remains cool.
On the top is the dome: these are horizontal slabs arranged in recessed steps, the chianche. They are wedged with the thinner external plates called chiancarelle. Finally, the "pinnacle”, Which are the signature of the master who built them. On the dome, then, elements of an esoteric, spiritual nature were often painted in white.
The legend of the Siamese Trulli
There is a very particular story concerning the construction of the Siamese Trulli. Between reality and fiction, it too has a certain charm. It is told of the love of two brothers for the same woman. She was betrothed to the firstborn, but in love with the other. The three then decided to live in the same house for a while. But in the end the elder brother out of jealousy forced the two lovers to leave the house. And he demanded that the house belonged to him. But the younger brother wanted his share of the inheritance. So the three were forced to stay in the same house, but made two entrances on two opposite streets.
In Alberobello not only the trulli, here is what you can visit
Reaching the town pugliese one is fascinated by this expanse of characteristic buildings. You can visit the Monti district, made up of about 1030 trulli. And again the village of Aja Piccola consisting of a network of narrow and winding alleys. The two-storey “Trullo Sovrano” which now houses a museum. And still there Church of Sant'Antonio which is in the shape of a trullo, preceded by a monumental entrance and a staircase topped by a rose window. The Casa d'Amore, the first house built with lime in 1797, now houses the tourist office. And the Sanctuary of Santi Medici which houses their reliquary and the painting of the Madonna di Loreto.
Tourist destination to visit
Alberobello is thus one of the recommended places for tourism in Italy. In fact it is not only a place full of charm. But also for tourism. Many trulli are homes. Others are restaurants. Still others are shops used to buy everything that is characteristic. With the summer or winter charm of its special architecture, Alberobello is confirmed as one of the favorite destinations of international tourism.
