Bing Wallpaper Gallery
If fairy tales had architects, they might"ve come up with something like Alberobello in Italy. But instead of magic wands, it was limestone, mortar-free masonry and—according to some theories—a bit of tax evasion that built this town"s signature homes: the trulli. These are whitewashed stone houses topped with dry-stacked limestone roofs shaped like upside-down ice cream cones. It"s an ancient building technique, and in this case, a clever one. Back in the 14th century, locals were reportedly trying to avoid property taxes by constructing homes that could be quickly dismantled when the king"s tax collector came around.
© Feng Wei Photography/Getty Images
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