Apulia: Land of fortified towns and bell towers

The rural south of Italy still holds many secrets. We definitely have to mention two of them that are well worth seeing – the trulli and the “agro-towns”.

In the past landlords forced farmers to settle in concentrated stone towns, with the intention of increasing the availability of land for agriculture. They went so far in promoting town life to farmers that farmers actually didn’t want to live in the countryside anymore as they considered it to be a dirty, wild, uncivilized, ugly place in comparison to the town. These towns were built in concentric circles on hilltops and stone houses facing countryside on the most outer circle didn’t even have windows to look out into the country – “Why would you want to look at something that is so ugly, while everything worthwhile happens in the town?”

Today, their thinking has changed and many residents moved back to the countryside where they have a trullo with a small vineyard and some olive and almond trees. Nonetheless, all the towns still maintain an exceptionally high percentage of peasant population. But one thing has remained constant through all the changes – bell towers are within a stone throw’s away of everything.