Trulli amazing little conical huts - The Trulli of Alberobello 787; Art of dry stone walling, knowledge and techniques 01393
This is my inaugural post, and just for the sake of it, it starts with an A, from the most recent trip I did.
What and Why
The peculiar dwarf buildings trulli were actually erected according to some kind of local imposition back in the 15th century CE that all buildings must show some 'tribute', although this form of stone construction with white limestones dates back almost a millennium, originally built as a storage barn or shelter by labourers.
When this settlement started, this piece of land was owned by the count Conversano D'Acquaviva D'Aragona, who dictated the locals to build their houses with dry bricks without mortar so that they could be demolished easily. One reason behind seemed to be a preventive measure against the regular volcano eruptions so that people could escape and rebuild quickly; although there were saying this was also for tax evasion as they could demolish the houses quickly to avoid the paying residential tax to the then Spanish viceroy (Spanish: virrey) of the Kingdom of Naples (Latin: Regnum Neapolitanum)!
Hence the local peasants eventually developed an architecture of constructing a self-supporting circular dome and a squarish base with loose stone-masonry, creating a pleasantly cool microclimate within. We were told these houses were equally cold during winter! The stone tiles are laid without any fixture, mortar or plaster, laying the roofs one stone at a time through using carefully selected or cut interlocking stones. The technique itself is an ICH used across Europe.
While the single-storey houses look extremely primitive without windows, and can be quite dark without lighting, they are well ventilated and contains a drainage system plus a fireplace ventilation. The hydraulic system of the trulli clusters is especially important and well developed, as the region is generally dry and hot. Many of the roofs have a rainwater collection system, which clocked a few hundred years of usage. By the way the limestone were whitish-grey during construction and it was the sun that turned them almost black after years of sunshine!
On the tip of the dome there is usually a decorative sign which was literally the signature of the builder. Later some mystic, religious or superstitious symbols were painted on the domes to reflect the owners' cryptic messages.
Trulli are not restricted to the city of Alberobello only. In fact, as we drove along the seaside way from Bari to Alberobello, there are plenty of isolated trulli along the way. Of course the largest concentration of them are in Alberobello.
Toponymy
Alberobello means 'beautiful tree' in Italian. This came from the mediaeval Latin name of the region 'Siva Arboris Belli' meaning 'wood of the tree of war'.
The word 'trullo (plural trulli)' is derived from the Greek word 'τρούλος (troulos)' meaning 'cup'.
See
Monte Pertica
All these trulli are closely clustered around the Trulli Monumental Zone (Italian: Zona Monumentale Trulli) along Monte Pertica or Mountain District (Rione Monti), and one can stroll around the area in two or three hours. All of them have become a souvenir shop or some kind of stores, with a few private homes allowing a free visit. Pertica is an extinct plant in the region.
As afore-mentioned, on the tip of the dome there is usually a decorative sign which was literally the signature of the builder. Later some mystic, religious or superstitious symbols were painted on the domes to reflect the owners' cryptic messages. It is worthwhile checking out these mystic symbols on top of the trulli, as there are signs all over the area. Some of these symbols are religious in nature, while others are simply the initials of the builder, with a little decoration pinnacle on the tip of the roof. A common symbol is a cross with SCSD inscribed on it, which denotes Saints Cosmas and Damian (Arabic: قُزما ودميان, Qozma wa Demyaan), the Arab twin-saints honoured around the Mediterranean area.
Here is a list of these symbols.
Some of the trulli allow a 'free entry' for a visitation and what is inside is essentially an artificial show-room. Remember there is no such thing as free lunch...
The area is also flooded with olive trees, as olive is the only crop that can survive with this soil and climate.
Church of Saint Anthony of Padua (Parrocchia Sant'Antonio di Alberobello)
The Church of Saint Anthony of Padua (Parrocchia Sant'Antonio di Alberobello) definitely deserves a visit. It is a tiny church with a trullo feature, built 'recently' in the 1920s CE.
Eat and Drink
Zinfandel (Primitivo)
We did not eat there, in fact surprisingly there are not as many eateries around in the tourist zone, but we did savour some very good gelatos in this pastry shop called Monticello, which serves really good pastries and gelatos.
Alberobello, or technically the region Apulia (Puglia) is famous for its Primitivo (German: Zinfandel) wine. We did a wine-tasting session in a small winery called Tenute Girolamo.
Stay
We did not stay in Alberobello as we were on our way to another city. However, some and fortunately not many of the trulli have been converted to a hotel or Airbnb, like Grandi Trulli Bed & Breakfast.
Getting There and Around
We drove there from Bari and it took us approximately 1.5 hour, and during this road-trip we experienced the worst of travelling in Italy (Italia): Italy is full of Limited Traffic Zone (Zona a Traffico Limitato, ZTL), in which you are charged a hefty toll to enter all historic or touristy areas, simply to make money. The ZTL of Alberobello is EUR 25€. In the rest of this journey, one of our main agenda is to find a way to get away from this toll.
Alberobello is largely walkable and you can finish the entire zone within a good afternoon.
We recommend one-half day for the site.
UNESCO Inscription
The trulli, limestone dwellings found in the southern region of Puglia, are remarkable examples of drywall (mortarless) construction, a prehistoric building technique still in use in this region. The trulli are made of roughly worked limestone boulders collected from neighbouring fields. Characteristically, they feature pyramidal, domed or conical roofs built up of corbelled limestone slabs.
The art of dry stone walling concerns the knowhow related to making stone constructions by stacking stones upon each other, without using any other materials except sometimes dry soil. Dry stone structures are spread across most rural areas – mainly in steep terrains – both inside and outside inhabited spaces, though they are not unknown in urban areas. The stability of the structures is ensured through the careful selection and placement of the stones, and dry-stone structures have shaped numerous, diverse landscapes, forming various modes of dwelling, farming and husbandry. Such structures testify to the methods and practices used by people from prehistory to today to organize their living and working space by optimizing local natural and human resources. They play a vital role in preventing landslides, floods and avalanches, and in combating erosion and desertification of the land, enhancing biodiversity and creating adequate microclimatic conditions for agriculture. The bearers and practitioners include the rural communities where the element is deeply rooted, as well as professionals in the construction business. Dry stone structures are always made in perfect harmony with the environment and the technique exemplifies a harmonious relationship between human beings and nature. The practice is passed down primarily through practical application adapted to the particular conditions of each place.
References
Comments