Grotta del Trullo

Grotta del Trulli - Grotta di Putignano

Useful Information

Location:	In Putignano. At the city limits towards Turi/Bari, SS 172. Turn right, very narrow entry with railroad tracks crossing.
Open:	JAN to MAY daily 10-12:30, 14:30-17. JUN to SEP daily 9-12:30, 14:30-18:30. OCT to DEC daily 10-12:30, 14:30-17. [2007]
Fee:	Adults EUR 4, Children EUR 2. [2007]
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	Incandescent
Dimension:	T=20 °C.
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Grotta del Trullo, Parco grotte, SS 172 per Turi, 70017 Putignano, Bari, Tel: +39-0080-4912113, Tel: +39-080-4111903, Fax: +39-0080-4912113. E-mail: Gruppo Ricerche Carsiche, 70017 Putignano (BA) - S.S. 172 Turi-Putignano, Km 1, Tel: +39-0080-4912113. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

29-JUN-1931	discovered by accident.
21-JUN-1935	opened to the public.
JAN-1938	exploration by Franco Anelli.

Description

The Grotta del Trullo is a very small cave, close to the most visited cave of Italy, the Showcave Grotta di Castellana. This is the reason, why it is so unknown, tourists go to the big cave which is very well advertised.

But this cave is really worth a visit, as it is less crowded and the entrance is unique: The building is a so called trullo, a house built of rocks without mortar. The plates of limestone are piled in an unique manner, with a pointed roof, which makes the building look like a beehive. Typically, the trulli are painted in white.

The cave is managed by the Gruppo Richerche Carsiche Putignano. They renovated the paths and light lately and installed a new emergency exit.

Nearby are two more caves, rather small but of some historic importance. There is S. Michele a Monte Laureto, 3 km away on the road towards Noci. It is a cave church which contains frescoes from the 4th and 5th century. On the altar stands the statue Archangel Michael, made by Stefano da Putignano in the 16th century. Another small cave is called Madonna delle Grazie. Located below an antique farmhouse in a little forest, this small cave church contains several fresoes with the mother with the child in the center.