Even before I became a Real Estate professional, I was fascinated with homes and the stories they told about the people and places and times they represented. Since building my real estate business on Bainbridge Island, my curiosity has become even more pronounced.
As I travel with my family through Italy, I can not help but take real estate related detours when I am inspired. Alberobello was one such detour. This town of 11,000 inhabitants in Puglia, Italy has the largest collection of original trulli houses, many of which are still inhabited.
These little white-washed conical structures look like they should be in an enchanted forest somewhere or on a movie set. One of the things I love about Italy is that even though this town has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Program since 1996, the houses are completely accessible to tourists and therefore unforgettable.
The houses were built using only dry stone masonry materials such as limestone. There is no mortar or cement in the structures. Why? It is believed that during the 14th century, property taxes were very high. The feudal lord would house farm workers in the trulli structures and when tax inspectors would come to the area, these dry stone structures would be dismantled. The feudal lords could then avoid paying “new settlement” taxes.
With tax season upon us, I could not resist sharing the image of dismantling a home to avoid paying taxes! One of the gifts of this journey is that I have found It is important to keep a sense of humor in all seasons.
Click Here to see some trulli homes for sale.