Puglia, Trulli Houses

In Puglia, the “heel” of Italy, many hundreds of twenty-foot diameter stone buildings, called Trulli houses, are scattered among orchards, and in nearby towns. Trullis, that have been built during the past 5,000 years, are strange round stone structures with domed roofs, and they are found in groups or as individual buildings isolated across this fertile valley. Originally Trullis were built by farmers to be used as tool sheds and barns, then many times several would be built in clusters, to be used as a home. Trulli homes are seen all across Puglia, but the little town of Alberobello has the greatest concentration of these unusual buildings, almost 1500 houses.

Trullis are remarkable examples of mortarless construction, a prehistoric building technique still in use in this region. These beehive structures, built of dry stone with thick solid walls and conical roofs, had the advantage that they were simply piles of limestone that could quickly be demolished when the tax collector was heading their way. As soon as he was gone, the owners swiftly rebuilt their accommodation.

Trulli houses have become the hottest new buy for European holiday-home hunters, and may cost $10,000 each for a group of 5 or 6 interconnected round Trulli buildings. Each one a room.