The homeland of magnificent monuments of architecture is of great interest to tourists. Italy delights with its ancient sights, but there is one corner in the country whose buildings do not fit into the traditional architectural canons.
In the south of the Apennine Peninsula there is no place more popular than a small town famous for amazing houses. A popular place in Puglia with a population of no more than 11 thousand people is admired by all tourists, fascinated by a quiet corner with a simple way of life.
City Business Card
The Italian town of Alberobello (Italy), located in the province of Bari, is a real discovery for Europeans who have never seen anything like it. Original structures that form entire streets give the village its uniqueness.
Similar to fabulous houses, dwellings called trulli are located in two districts of the city. The white-stone structures with a conical roof that resembled gnome caps were erected without any solutions, which was not done by chance.
The story of the appearance of unusual houses
The fact is that according to the laws of the Kingdom of Naples, all urban settlements on the lands of Puglia were taxed. To save money, the counts from the Aquaviv dynasty forbade their workers to build any buildings using cement. However, local peasants, who did not want to remain without a roof over their heads, found a way to get around all the barriers.
They came up with the idea of building stone-paved houses of a circular shape with a domed roof. Such dwellings resembled a children's designer: unusual structures were laid out of stones, without a binding solution, as if from cubes.
Rapid demolition and new construction
Naturally, such houses easily collapsed, and no tax collector could accuse residents of violating the existing law. It was enough to remove one stone, which played the role of a kind of castle, from the base of the roof, and the buildings turned into a pile of stones.
The new house, which did not store any special property, the peasants erected in two days.
Only at the end of the XVIII century, by the decree of the ruler of Naples, Alberobello (Italy) received freedom, and the need to destroy their homes in a few minutes and rebuild them was no longer necessary.
Thrull Features
One-story trulli were decorated with pretty poppies, the shape of which testified not only to the level of skill of the builder, but also to which estate and floor the landlord belonged to. On some roofs you can see mystical symbols with a secret meaning.
Classical trulli, which are the pride of the fabulously beautiful Alberobello (Italy), are laid out of limestone boulders from the very base to the tops on the dome.
Often, a monolithic rock acted as a bearing wall, from which the soil layer was previously removed. The houses have windows and stoves, which are located in the thickness of the wall. Roofs, consisting of two layers, hermetically protect from moisture inside the home.
Most of today's single-room houses delight tourists with their flavor, who come on an excursion to Alberobello (Italy). The sights of the city (of which there are about 1,400) are privately owned and can be bought or sold. According to the latest data, the local population asks for up to 30 thousand euros for picturesque dwellings, while Europeans buy them as a country house.
Hospitable city
In such unusual buildings, the walls of which are covered with ivy or vines, local restaurants, workshops, shops and even temples are located. All tourists celebrate the special friendliness of the residents of Alberobello (Italy), and many of them even invite guests to come and go up to the roof to enjoy the spectacular view from the heights.
Many houses have souvenir shops, and hospitable owners will be happy to show their home and tell a lot of stories.
Tourists love to photograph the magical city, which Italy is famous for the whole world.
Souvenirs in Alberobello
The mass of souvenir shops offers thousands of handmade gifts for every taste and budget. Here you can purchase high-quality linen, leather, wood products painted by local craftsmen and even jewelry.
Of course, the main symbol of the city is trulli, so all the popular souvenirs have such a shape and image. Elegant figurines, small magnets, cute piggy banks, colorful mugs and much more are offered by sellers of small shops to choose from.
Tourists also note wonderful grocery stores offering branded ice cream, traditional sweets from almond dough, delicious cheeses, olive oil, rose petal liquors, and traditional pasta.
Wine cellars
It is impossible not to mention the bars that are in trolls. In the cellars, where the desired temperature is artificially maintained, you can taste aromatic wines that do not require the addition of sugar.
The cost of a sparkling drink, which is bottled in the form of an unusual house, is about 20 euros. However, all the guests of the city claim that it is worth it, and many tourists take away by car a large supply of delicious product. Any purchase made in the city will be a wonderful reminder of a charming Italian corner.
Historical heritage
Since 1996, buildings in narrow streets are under the protection of UNESCO, which recognized the trulli as part of the historical heritage. The city of Alberobello (Italy), resembling a chessboard from above, houses houses built in the 18th century, but some of them appeared only a hundred years ago.
It is noteworthy that in 1925 the construction of throttles was officially forbidden, and therefore in no other city in the world such structures will no longer surprise travelers.
The friendly Alberobello (Italy), whose photo conveys the fabulous spirit that reigns in the city, is waiting for tourists to open all their secrets to them. The special atmosphere prevailing in a quiet corner will make you forget all the hardships and problems. Guests of the city admit that a fascinating journey into a fairy tale leaves an indelible impression.