Material and immaterial values of the “Trulli” of Alberobello, Puglia (Italy)

The urban structure of Alberobello, a small town in Puglia, is characterized by the presence of a strongly connatural building typology known as the "trullo". This particular building stands out for its unique conical roofing and it is built using a hard and compact limestone found locally. This stone is worked in order to obtain polished slabs with an elongated shape and variable thickness. The “trulli”, structures diffused only in this small region of the territory, concretize the cultural expressions of the community to which they belong. In spite of their notoriety, they are not adequately documented. The few existing publications are not exhaustive and they are almost without any scientific information. This study of the “trulli”, which is part of a wider research activity, provides an initial phase of systematization of existing documentation. The next phases will be dedicated to the definition of a scientific methodological procedure with the aim of optimizing and putting in synergy the cognitive contributions coming from for more multidisciplinary competences.