Trulli - or trullo when you’re talking about just one dwelling - were initially built to provide temporary field shelters and storehouses. Over time they also became permanent dwellings for agricultural families and labourers of smallholdings. The simple traditional lime whitewash that decorates the trulli’s exterior complements the local geology and pastoral landscapes.
To protect against the elements and balance the temperature all year round, the trulli walls are incredibly thick, made up of a double skin filled with rubble. Similarly, the doorways and windows are small.
These iconic rural dwellings began appearing as early as the 14th century, and their popularity originated because of a 15th century decree that made urban settlers pay taxes to the crown under feudal rule. If the king’s inspectors came collecting, the villagers could easily demolish these inexpensive buildings into a pile of stones and hide in the forest, and then rebuild them once they’d gone.