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If you spend your Italian holidays in an urban context,Ìýpalazzi storiciÌýare what you will be surrounded by. These buildings usuallyÌýgiveÌýa town its spirit and charisma, their beauty and majesty making each and every street a little jewel in itself.ÌýTheir architecture differs accordingÌýto the place:ÌýRome, for instance,Ìýis typically full of Papal palaces and noble residences, as well as thousands of Medieval and Baroque buildings, converted in beautiful condos. Its outskirts are, just as it is for all cities and towns, characterized by more modern buildings, often cheaper to rent for families.

The corte

Villages or outÌýof town’s locations are the kingdom ofÌýcorti, courtyards, beautifulÌýsquares enclosedÌýwithin thick walled houses, usually developing vertically.ÌýMost of them need to be renovated, but they are pictoresque. Life in these courtyards follows the rhythm and style of yore and everyone residing in a ³¦´Ç°ù³Ù±ðÌýknows and likesÌýeach other, just like in a family.

Trulli

°Õ³ó±ðÌý³Ù°ù³Ü±ô±ô¾±Ìýwe see today inÌýAlberobelloÌýdateÌýbackÌýto the 19^thÌýcentury, but there were even olderÌýtrulliÌýthat time and nature slowly destroyed almost completely. They have been declared part of the and, as strange as it may seem,Ìý³Ù°ù³Ü±ô±ô¾±Ìýare still used as homes by many. This traditional dry stone dwellings areÌýtypical of specificÌýareas of Apulia, their white walls and their conic, dark roofs well recognized by Italians and not Italians all over the world.ÌýTrulliÌýwere farmers’ residences, small, humble, yet entirely functional. Today, they are often rented during the summer or weekends.

 

CasaliÌý

Casali are synonym withÌýagricultural and rural life and they are found everywhere in the Italian countryside.ÌýUsually, they overlook large plots of land calledÌýpoderi,Ìýset around small urban agglomerates with a church and a square, many of which were either destroyed during the Second World War or abandoned shortly after. Casali Ìýare, as we said, common all over the territory, but those in Tuscany are probably those with which US tourists are more familiar, even thoughÌýPiedmont, Umbria and the regions of the South are also filled by beautiful examples of this type of structures.

The beloved farm houses typical of the Tuscan countryside are usuallyÌýbig, because they used to host the owner andÌýcontadini – field hands– along with their big families.They are beautiful and provide a perfect location for all those in need to escape the hustle and bustle of modern life. However, living in aÌýcasaleÌýhas become increasingly dangerous: because of their isolation, they are often subject to thieveries.

BaiteÌý

Of course, climate influences the way men build their homes and it is for this reason that the homes of the northern Alpine regions of Italy are usually insulated in such a way to guarantee warmth all year round, and kept even warmer by the high presence of wood in their structure. These typically Alpine dwellings, calledÌýbaite, have also roofs that dramatically slant, so to avoid accumulation of snow during the Winter.

Wooden baiteÌýare typical, as we said, of Alpine regions such as Trentino Alto Adige and Valle d’Aosta. They are very much a symbol of Alpine lifestyle and towns. Their structure is associatedÌýto all places where snow is abundant and Winter chilly. Wooden parquet floors, stones and fireplaces are typical features of this type ofÌýdwellings.ÌýBaiteÌýare usually rented during the Winter holidays, but are also home to locals all year round.

The white houses of the South

On the opposite side of the boot, the South, most houses are white and have a terraced roof. This is, once again, a feature derived by the necessities imposed by the climate: white notoriously reflects light and heat away, keeping the inside of the house cooler, whereas flat roofs were useful surface to help collect rain water, often essential in areas where water lacks.

Modern buildings

So far, we have presented a series of traditional Italian buildings, but the country edile history has continued throughout the decades, just as anywhere else in the world.ÌýHowever, skyscrapers, grattacieli, are not as popular as in the US. They can be found in large, industrial cities such asÌýTurin, Genoa andÌýNaples, but Milan is the place where the most iconic are located:Ìýthe economic capital of the country is home to, for instance, theÌýTorre Unicredit (231 m tall), the highest skyscraper in Italy.

Modern Italian families, however, tend to live either in flats when in the city, or freestanding houses when in the suburbs, the latterÌýcalled villette.ÌýÌýIn the last years, villetteÌýhave becomeÌýa luxury that only the whealthiest of Italians can actuallyÌýafford: most people live in a flat or, if they are lucky, in a terraced house.

Condos, called in ItalianÌýcondomini,Ìýare very common: in cities, as we said earlier, they have been created in oldÌýpalazzi storici, which turned from single family residences to multi-flat buildings. In the suburbs, modern multi-flat tower blocks are often found.

Unlikely many countries in Europe, ItalianÌýdwellings are not characterized by a homogeneous style or architecture. Regardless to their size, Italian homes are always functional, well built and insulated, with all mods cons: we Italians, as per everything, never renounce to living our lives in comfort.

By Anna Defilippo