Trullo di Marziolla

The Itria Valley in Puglia, Italy, is pockmarked by conical, stone structures, many of them fitting naturally into the fields where farmers built them centuries ago. Near the picturesque village of Locorotondo, one of these trulli stands out for its thick walls and the date of 1559 imprinted near the entrance. Believed to be its date of construction, this would make it the oldest-known trullo in the valley.

Surrounded by a charming field, the Trullo di Marziolla is a type of agricultural building that can be found throughout the Mediterranean, but is particular common in this part of Italy. Made without mortar by stacking stones, trulli served a variety of purposes, from storing tools to temporary shelters to permanent homes. (Today, a number have been retrofitted for tourist lodging.) The importance of these structures, made with prehistoric building techniques, resulted in UNESCO designating the buildings in Puglia as part of its World Heritage List.

The Trullo di Marziolla was used for making wine, and you can still see evidence of this inside, as well as enjoy the region’s continued viticulture tradition in nearby towns.