Alberobello – the Actual Post

Coming around the corner in one of the trulli neighbourhoods

When I was in Belgrade, I met four Italians who gave me various ideas of where to go.  I did not want to hit the main centres again, well, sure if I had enough time, but I was here in Italy 25 years ago.  However, alot can change in 25 years.  But since I have a house sit up in Abruzzo at the end of the month, I did not want to be travelling all over Italy to hit Milan, Florence, Venice and Rome when I have actually already seen those places.  Travelling as such also begins to get expensive so you really need to consider your travels otherwise, especially if I am to stretch out this opportunity.  Anyway, I digress.

The funky trulli houses

So one of the places they recommended was Alberobello.  This is called “the city of trulli”.  Since the 15th century the limestone under the area has been used as building material giving the city its look.  The trulli were built “a secco” meaning without use of mortor, only with dry stones one on the other.  This idea was due to one of the counts to avoid paying taxes to the king of Naples.  That way if there happened to be a royal inspection the houses could be destroyed easily as if they had never been there.  In 1996 Alberobello became part of UNESCO and a world heritage site.

A sea of stones as roofs intersect and drains are created for water

Initially from 1400 the turly were only a bunch of stones built as a small dome directly on the ground.  It was only after 1600 that the top was built on a square-based wall that is seen today.  On some of the roofs are symbols painted using lime.  These were used as decoration as well as to keep bad luck and demons away.

Symbols painted on the domes

I really liked Alberobello and it was a nice change from the port cities I had been to recently which were overrun with cruise ship tourists.  I know the season is still early and that even this little place will pick up with visits and become busier.  However these smaller off the beaten track places tend to draw more local visitors as opposed to North Americans.  There are certainly some English people floating about but many more Italian tourists, at least that I noticed.

A trulli house without the lime looking a little more simple but still a curious building

I managed to happen across this place at the same time as some holiday because that evening the main square was filled with families and fireworks and candy stalls etc… There was even a free concert from a well known Italian progressive rock band called the New Trolls that have been around since 1967.  Well some of the musicians have changed.  Actually the drummer was one of the more energetic participatory drummers I have seen in a long time.  It was fun to watch them for awhile and even though I didn’t understand their lyrics, I quite enjoyed the music.  It was a great opportunity for me.  But all in all, Alberobello is a small place and you really only need an afternoon there.  However if I had only come and gone in the one day, I would not have been able to see the local holiday celebrations and that was a unique opportunity.

Little hobbit houses