History of Alberobello

Alberobello is a small town in Puglia, located in the Itria Valley. This area is famous for its hilly landscapes and unique trulli, conical stone buildings. The trulli have become a symbol of Puglia worldwide. The name 'Alberobello' comes from 'Sylva Arboris Belli', meaning 'forest of the tree of war'. This name refers to a wooded area that was sparsely inhabited in the past. Only in the 16th century did the first farming families begin to settle here, attracted by the fertile land.

The development of Alberobello began in 1635 when the area was granted as a fief to the Acquaviva family of Conversano. To avoid paying taxes to the Kingdom of Naples for each new settlement, the counts imposed the construction of dry stone houses, without mortar. This led to the birth of the trulli, built by stacking local stone slabs. The choice to build trulli was not aesthetic but a fiscal necessity. The counts wanted to avoid taxation on stable settlements. The houses had to be easily dismantled in case of royal inspection.

Trulli are limestone buildings typical of the area. The roof is conical and made of stone slabs called chiancarelle. The structure is self-supporting and does not require mortar. The thick walls protect against summer heat and winter cold. Often, on the roofs of the trulli, there are symbols painted with lime, which have religious or propitiatory meanings.

In 1797, thanks to the intervention of a group of citizens led by Francesco Giuseppe Lippolis, Alberobello gained freedom from feudal rule. King Ferdinand IV of Bourbon granted Alberobello the status of a royal city, finally allowing the construction of masonry. However, the trulli continued to be inhabited, preserving their historical value over time.

In 1996, Alberobello was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for the extraordinary and unique nature of its trulli. Today, it is one of the most visited tourist destinations in southern Italy. The Monti District and the Aia Piccola District are the two historic neighborhoods where hundreds of trulli are concentrated, many of which are still inhabited or transformed into shops, accommodations, and museums.

Although similar trulli exist in other parts of Puglia, only in Alberobello is there an urban center entirely built using this technique. The density and continuity of the urban fabric make the site unique in its kind. The trulli are not just picturesque constructions; they represent the ingenuity of local farming communities, capable of adapting to harsh conditions and the laws of the time.

Today, Alberobello is an example of the preservation of rural architectural heritage and Puglian culture. The history of Alberobello is closely linked to that of its trulli. Born out of practical necessity, they are now a world heritage treasure. Visiting them means taking a journey through time and discovering an authentic part of Puglia, where history intertwines with the beauty of stone.