Their origin remains a mystery, though we know one thing for sure: trulli, those small, idiosyncratic, conical buildings, provide Puglia with one of its most recognizable features.
Although similar structures exist elsewhere in the Mediterranean, from Cappadocia in Turkey to Greece, Egypt, Sicily and Sardinia, simply saying the word conjures images of Aberobello and the taste of orecchiette.
Trulli: The Pinnacles of Puglia
The word trulli is thought either to have derived from the Greek tholos (describing similar stone structures) or the Byzantine torullos (referring to a room in the Imperial Palace in Constantinople with a conical roof). The trullo structure itself is built al secco (without mortar), meaning trulli houses can be quickly torn down and rebuilt according to need. In addition, they are cool in summer and warm in winter. Pizza-shaped stones, called chiancarelle, were overlapped to form each trullo’s defining feature, its conical roof. These stones come primarily from the well that was dug during the construction of each trullo.
The roof of each trullo bears a pinnacle of three stones. Some believe the pinnacle has magical significance, while others say it serves merely ornamental purposes. Another theory holds that the pinnacle represents social status, signifying everything from the wealth to the religious loyalties of the trullo’s inhabitants.
