Claustri di Altamura

The claustri are enclosed residential courtyards characteristic of Altamura's historic centre. Houses, narrow entrances and shared water-storage features give these small spaces a distinctive urban form.

Why it matters

The courtyards reflect collective domestic life within a densely built town. Their name derives from the Latin claustrum, an enclosed space; locally they are also known as gnostre.

What to notice

External stairs, arches, balconies and small terraces bring several levels of domestic architecture around a shared space. Cisterns and inward-sloping surfaces recall rainwater collection. Stone benches known as pesule and carved ornaments add details of everyday use and family representation.

Context and history

The claustri developed within the town shaped by Frederick II's thirteenth-century refoundation. Their forms accumulated over time rather than following one design. Individual names, including Giudecca and Tradimento, preserve community memories and local traditions; the betrayal associated with the latter belongs to legend.