This extraordinary town is one of the most unique inhabited centers in the world, rightfully designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, largely thanks to its picturesque trulli (over 1,000). A trullo is a characteristic peasant or artisan’s house, built with dry stone walls, without mortar, topped by a conical dome, topped by a pinnacle and clad, also dry, with concentric, sloping rows of smooth, gray local stone slabs, called chiancarelle. The itinerary through which to discover the narrow streets and most evocative corners of the Capital of the Trulli, as well as its monuments and museums, begins from the Belvedere Terrace. Here, visitors, enjoying a splendid view of the historic center, dominated by conical roofs embellished with mysterious symbols drawn in lime, will immediately sense that they are in a city unlike any other. The tour continues with a visit to the historic center, the Aia Piccola district, comprised of approximately 400 trulli, most still used as homes. In the Aia Piccola, we also find the Museum of Crafts, Old and New Trades, where we can admire tools and instruments from our region’s artisan culture, and the Oil Museum. Continuing through the historic center, we reach the Casa D’Amore, a World Heritage Site, which was the first house built using mortar and without the traditional trullo shape. From here, it’s also easy to reach the Basilica Minore, dedicated to the Medici Saints Cosma and Damiano, patrons of the city and among the most venerated saints in Puglia. Behind the church, the Trullo Sovrano is used, representing the most advanced example of a two-story trullo, where, among fireplaces, kitchen utensils, and looms, the atmosphere of times gone by can still be felt. The Monti district is also particularly important in the historic center, boasting more than 1,000 trulli scattered along seven different streets of incomparable beauty. Among these, the Siamese Trulli are noteworthy, distinctive for their double shape. Here, visitors will be captivated by the craftsmanship of the many artisans whose workshops bring the neighborhood to life until late at night.
The Church of Sant’Antonio, located at the top of the Monti district, is definitely worth a visit. Its distinctive trullo shape makes it unique.