Rural culture

Rural Monopoli consists of trulli, historical masserie, little farmhouses and the underground oil mills scattered among the centuries-old olive trees. They are all examples of an architecture that was functional for an essentially agricultural past; nowadays, they constitute a cultural heritage with inestimable value. From the feet of bassa Murgia it is possible to wander with the eye-look until the seashore trough a multitude of centuries-old olive trees. They are gnarled and twisted, one- by-one different and with a particular story: one has been bent by the wind, the other mutilated by a thunder; knots create shapes that anyone interprets with her/his imagination. The younger ones are 500 years, the oldest are even 2000 years; they travelled across the history course from the “Mare Nostrum” land seashores. In the hundred country-districts (contrade) among centuries-old olive trees, almond trees, cherry and carobs trees there is a highlight of white, lime-plastered masserie. They are typical buildings whose architecture developed along the transition from a medieval economy to the modern one. From the 15^th century onwards, they have become places for agro- pastoral use. Many historical masserie maintained their original function. Besides visiting them, it possible to buy dairy products, bread, taralli and frisedde directly from the hands of the farmer.