📖 About Alberobello

Alberobello is a small town in the Metropolitan City of Bari, Puglia, southern Italy, famous for its unique trullo buildings. Since 1996, the trulli of Alberobello have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, representing a remarkable example of drywall construction dating back to prehistoric times.

The town contains over 1,500 trulli—traditional limestone dwellings with pyramidal, domed, or conical roofs built without mortar using corbelled dry-stone construction. The property comprises two main districts: Rione Monti with 1,030 trulli and Rione Aia Piccola with 590 trulli.

The history of the trulli is linked to the 15th-century Kingdom of Naples tax laws. The Counts of Conversano required residents to build dwellings that could be easily demolished to avoid taxation. Using only stones, peasants developed the self-supporting domed design that has become Alberobello's signature architecture.

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💼 Economy & Culture

Alberobello's economy is primarily supported by tourism, with visitors from around the world drawn to its unique UNESCO-listed architecture. Many trulli have been converted into tourist accommodations, boutique hotels, restaurants, and artisan shops selling local crafts and products.

The town maintains a delicate balance between preservation and tourism. Approximately 30% of trulli are now in commercial use, 40% are vacant, and 30% remain residential. Local authorities and UNESCO work to ensure the authenticity of these structures while accommodating the growing tourism industry. Visitors are encouraged to explore the quieter Rione Aia Piccola district for a more genuine experience.

📜 History

The trulli of Alberobello date from as early as the mid-14th century, though the town itself was formally established later. The unique construction method was mandated by local feudal lords to circumvent royal taxes on new settlements—buildings without mortar could be quickly dismantled before tax inspectors arrived.

By the 18th century, Alberobello had grown into a proper town with permanent trulli structures. King Ferdinand IV of Naples freed the town from feudal rule in 1797. Today, Alberobello stands as the world's largest collection of trulli and a living monument to this ingenious architectural tradition of Puglia.