By Emma Bird
“We have a responsibility to nurture them”, says Italian architect Aldo Flore, of the distinctive trulli that dot Puglia’s countryside. Together with his wife and fellow architect Rosanna Venezia, he has dedicated more than two decades to restoring these centuries-old conical structures. Once seen as simple, rustic dwellings, Flore has a different view: “They are the cathedrals of our territory,” he says.
There are more than 1,500 trulli in the town of Alberobello alone, a Unesco World Heritage site 50km south of Bari. But they can also be found scattered throughout the region’s Valle d’Itria. While some people choose trulli as their main residence, others, like Flore and Venezia, use them as escapes. They finished restoring theirs in 2010 and now spend their summers there.
The exact origins of trulli are unknown. However, it is believed their popularity spread in the 15th century after the King of Naples imposed taxes on permanent dwellings. This prompted locals to construct homes that could be swiftly dismantled when tax collectors approached. Built without mortar, the dry-stone structures could be reduced to mere piles by removing a central keystone, effectively evading taxation.
The buildings are characterised by their circular base and conical roof constructed from local limestone. Other notable elements include thick walls, guaranteeing a constant indoor temperature of about 20C all year round. The entrance always faces east so that farmworkers could leave their home energised by the sunrise, and the back of the property featured small windows to allow air to circulate. Side canals allowed rainwater to run down the cones into cisterns.
Restoring trulli is a meticulous and costly endeavour. Flore says: “It really is a labour of love. The costs involved are triple that of a normal project, and everything takes time. Just restoring one cone takes five months.” In the case of Flore’s own group of trulli, the restoration project also meant ripping away layers of cement and harmonising additional rooms that had been added without planning permission.
Another notable trulli property in the area, nestled in the countryside among olive groves and meadows is this seven-bedroom house with 27 acres of land, a 50-minute drive from the city of Brindisi. It is on the market for €6.3mn. The building is formed from two clusters of trulli, each featuring spacious living areas. Outdoor areas are equipped with kitchens, pizza ovens and swimming and infinity pools.
Ancient and modern combine in this trulli in the Itria Valley, surrounded by ancient olive groves with a private pool. While the trulli dates to the 1600s, renovations include large windows added to let in the light. The property is on the market for €800,000.
The preservation of the trulli is not merely about maintaining old structures; young artisans are rediscovering and preserving these traditional building techniques and safeguarding Puglia’s ancient trade of the trullari in the process. In addition, architects such as Flore & Venezia also integrate modern conveniences discreetly.
"We whitewash the walls to reflect the natural light, weave lighting wires through the natural gaps in the stone and use underfloor heating so that we don't ruin the aesthetics with heating pumps," Flore says. “The trulli may be old, but they are in harmony with nature and are very much the architecture of the future.”
Photography: Italy Sotheby’s International Realty
