The traditional buildings in Abruzzo make the rural landscapes of the region even more beautiful!

Abruzzo is a region with a rich, fascinating history.
There are plenty of localities where visitors can feel as though they were gone back in time, because the impact of the man on landscapes, buildings and nature hasn’t been significant and the atmosphere of yesteryear hasn’t been excessively spoiled.

Stone buildings are no doubt some of the elements that contribute to this enchanting atmosphere. Beehive huts are the most characteristic and widespread stone buildings in Abruzzo, especially in the mountain areas. These tiny dwellings are mostly used by shepherds and farmers.

Also called “pajare” in the local dialect, these huts were built by employing a particular building method in which no cement was used and no engineering principle was applied to build arches and vaults.

In fact, the huts were built starting from a circular stone wall (a sort of huge ring) on which another one was laid that had a slightly smaller diameter and was then placed more inward. Smaller and smaller “rings” were superimposed until there was room for only one last stone and the top assumed a domical shape.

The stability was guaranteed by the mutual thrust exerted by the different levels and by the stones that made them up.

In short, these huts are veritable treasures of the regional history. That’s why every single hut is recorded, classified and protected by a specific regional law.

You can see most of them on the slopes of the Majella massif, where there are huts built in different periods, also in the mid-twentieth century (but still with the traditional technique). Recovery and restoration projects were run precisely to preserve this authentic treasure. Moreover, some huts are still used today by shepherds as sheds, barns or as storage for working tools.

Abruzzo always finds a way to take you back in time!
At Sextantio, you can experience profound emotions and go through an extraordinary experience.
Come and visit us!