Dimora Mastromarco

Dimoramastromarco’s roots are intertwined with the history of Noci, a picturesque town located in southern Italy. The demanial issue of Noci, a conflict between the town and the local bourgeoisie over the control of the demesne lands, lasted for over five centuries. Eventually, the town emerged victorious and divided the land into small plots called “partite”, which were assigned to families in need. These plots were transformed into self-sufficient micro-farms adorned with dry-stone walls, trulli (traditional cone-shaped houses), vineyards, pigsties, and beehives. Families lived off the land and worked for larger estates owned by the emerging bourgeoisie to supplement their income.

Dimoramastromarco, a charming cluster of trulli and lamie (traditional Apulian buildings) nestled in the countryside near Noci, was once a thriving micro-farm like those of the “partite”. The trulli’s architecture was minimalistic yet highly functional, with a sleeping alcove for the family, a central trullo for the animals, a small cistern for rainwater, a large fireplace for cooking, a bread oven, and a mezzanine for storage. These micro-farms exemplified a unique approach to land management that prioritized self-sufficiency, sustainability, and environmental conservation.