Sourrandings

Cummerse

The town of Locorotondo sits on a circular hilltop at 410 meters above sea level and is characterized by rectangular houses with sloping roofs, known as “cummerse”, built with chiancarelle, a type of stone widely found in the local subsoil.

Locorotondo, from the Latin locus rotundus, is a clearly medieval place name referring to the rounded shape of the hill on which this peaceful and well-kept village stands. Walking through the concentric streets of the historic center is a unique experience, surrounded by pointed rooftops and flower-filled balconies of the traditional homes.

Locorotondo is famous not only for its renowned local wine, but also for its many contrade, or rural districts, numbering as many as 146. The largest contrade are considered hamlets of the municipality.

Trulli

The trullo is a traditional dry-stone construction typical of central and southern Puglia. Trulli were generally built as temporary shelters in the countryside or as permanent homes for farmers.

A large part of the town of Alberobello, in the Metropolitan City of Bari, and until the 1950s also the municipality of Villa Castelli, in the province of Brindisi, consisted of trulli.

The trullo represents an evolution of the prehistoric thòlos structure, found in various regions of Italy and throughout the Mediterranean; trulli are distinguished by their continuity of use over time.

The origins of trullo constructions in Puglia, and in particular the Trulli of Alberobello — declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site on December 6, 1996 — are still the subject of studies and debate today.