Trullo, Valle d’Itria
A trullo (plural = trulli) is a traditional Apulian dry stone hut with a conical roof. Their style of construction is specific to the Valle d’Itria, in the Murge area of the Italian region of Apulia. Trulli generally were constructed as temporary field shelters and storehouses or, as permanent dwellings by small proprietors or agricultural labourers. In the town of Alberobello, in the province of Bari, whole districts contain dense concentrations of trulli. The golden age of trulli was the nineteenth century, especially its final decades, which were marked by the development of wine growing. Traditionally trulli were built using dry stone masonry, i.e. without any mortar or cement. This style of construction also is prevalent in the surrounding countryside where most of the fields are separated by dry-stone walls.
Today, Trulli are still to be found all around the Valle d’Itria; many have been beautifully converted to homes while others are in varying states of disrepair.
The following pages show some Trulli in various states of repair.
