Alberobello

Alberobello is a town of about 11,000 people in the province of Bari, in the heart of Apulia and, more precisely, of the Itria Valley. Its history is tied first of all to its name, which comes from the Latin expression “Silva Arboris Belli”, “the wood of the tree of war”. Alberobello was originally a forest full of oaks, trees used to make implements of war.

The wood soon became a fief, under the control of the Acquaviva, Counts of Conversano. And this is where Alberobello's most important feature takes shape, the reason thousands of tourists from all over the world come to Apulia, the reason the town became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996: the “trulli”.

First, a dip into the past: why the “trulli”? In the first half of the 17th century, Count Giangirolamo II Acquaviva, known as the “One-Eyed of Apulia”, wanted this fief to be settled, so he persuaded farmers to move there, luring them with tax exemptions and fertile land to farm.

There was one problem, though: there was no permission from the Kingdom of Naples (then ruled by the Spanish) to build houses in that area. So the Count came up with a clever trick: the houses had to be built not with mortar and lime, but dry, in stone, so that they could easily be torn down and rebuilt if the Kingdom of Naples decided to carry out inspections in the area.

So such a rare architectural gem is simply the result of illegal building! Had the Count known his idea would be such a success, he would surely have exported his “patent”! Luckily that didn't happen, and the “trulli” of Alberobello can truly be called unique!

The architecture of the “trullo” has vague Eastern origins, but the result is certainly unusual and striking. The word “trullo” comes from the Greek “tholos”, meaning “dome”. And that explains the key, innovative element of these buildings right away: the roof is a dome that narrows as it rises; it is built of interlocking concentric rings (the “chiancarelle”) and closed at the top by a point called the “pinnacle”.

Although they are made of stone, the walls of these “trulli” are anything but weak, which explains why these wonderful buildings have survived: about a meter thick, they provide perfect insulation in every season of the year.

The oldest “trulli” are divided between two districts, the Rione Aia Piccola and the larger Rione Monti, famous for its 7 streets full of little local craft shops, which lead up to the beautiful Church of Saint Anthony, itself shaped like a “trullo”.

But there's more to Alberobello than “trulli”.

First of all, the food. Apulia is famous for its culinary riches, and “if you want to eat well, Alberobello will serve you just as well”! Here too you can enjoy the famous “orecchiette” with tomato sauce, but much of Alberobello's cooking revolves around almonds, used mostly in desserts (the “mandorle arraggè”, almonds toasted with sugar, are famous), and around chili peppers, in liqueurs and jams.

Second, the events and festivals. The patron saint's festival, which draws great numbers of the faithful and, above all, curious tourists, takes place between September 25 and 28 every year and is dedicated to the physician saints Cosmas and Damian (to whom the Basilica is also dedicated). Faith and fun, with strolls and grilled meat.

Another highlight is the Reenactment of the Expulsion of the Counts of Conversano, held every July, which celebrates the fief's independence from the Counts of Conversano, won without the use of force.

It takes very little time to visit the “trulli”, but a very long time to forget them!