In the heart of Salento, especially in the countryside and small villages, you can still find the ancient houses with the “cannizzu” roof, an ingenious building system that has characterized the rural architecture of this land for centuries. This particular type of roofing, made with woven reeds and lime, was used to ensure excellent thermal insulation, adapting perfectly to the hot climate of Southern Italy.

Origin and History of Cannizzu

The use of reeds for the construction of roofs has its roots in very remote times, when the farmers and artisans of Salento, lacking expensive materials, exploited the available natural resources. The reed bed, widespread along rivers, lakes and wetlands, provided a cheap and easy to work raw material.

The reasons for such a widespread roofing technique are to be found exclusively in the low cost of the materials used, compared to the much more expensive and complex masonry vaults; but this did not mean at all that this technique was in the past the prerogative of the simplest and poorest architectures. Often, even noble palaces had such roofs on the top floor, even if masked by high pediments, such as Palazzo Castriota in Melpignano, Palazzo Rescio in Copertino or many other examples, recognizable today by the “open-air” top floor.

Already in the Middle Ages, this building technique was common in the humblest homes, such as masserie and pajare (the typical trulli of Salento). The huts, or the appurtenant elements, such as homes and warehouses, were not the only elements made with these simple construction techniques. In some cases, even the tower, the fortified element at the center of each masserizio complex, had two inclined slopes at its top. A final example is a particular spontaneous architecture born from the fusion of the typical elements of the city and the countryside: the caseddhra. A dry construction with a rectangular plan with a close resemblance to the image of our trulli, but unlike the latter, not covered by a dome slab but by a roof formed by a rustic structure of wood, reeds and tiles.

The perishable and fragile characteristics of the materials used were such that the roof had to be dismantled and rebuilt periodically. It is therefore difficult to find works that are more than a hundred years old nowadays. Perhaps the only exception is contained within the walls of the Sanctuary of San Giuseppe da Copertino; the building erected by the master Adriano Preite in 1754 preserves intact the humble stable where the Saint was born in 1603.

With the arrival of more modern techniques, the “cannizzu” was gradually abandoned, but today it is coming back into fashion thanks to the attention for eco-sustainable constructions and traditional architecture.

How is a Cannizzu Roof Made?

The structure of a “cannizzu” roof is based on three main elements:

Wooden beams – Called “murals”, generally made of olive, oak or holm oak, they act as the main support.
Reed mat – Layers of reeds woven together and tied together with ropes or willow branches, forming a sturdy weave.
Lime and beaten earth roofing – Lime was applied over the reed mat to waterproof the roof and protect it from atmospheric agents.
External tile roofing – the last layer, the one in contact with the outside, is made of the imbrice (irmice or ‘mbrice in some variants), a dialect term used to indicate the tile. These bricks were made in urban centers specialized in ceramic production, such as Cutrofiano, Grottaglie, Lucugnano and San Pietro in Lama; not by chance, this last location was also known in the past with the name of San Pietro degli embrici.

The Benefits of the Cannizzu Roof

Despite its apparent simplicity, the “cannizzu” roof offered numerous advantages:

Natural thermal insulation – The reeds create an air barrier that keeps the interior cool in summer and warm in winter.
Ecological and sustainable materials – All the materials used are natural and have a low environmental impact.
Lightness and flexibility – The roof adapts to small movements of the structure, reducing the risk of cracks.
Low construction cost – The reeds were easily available and did not require complex work.

Where are Houses with the Cannizzu Still Found?

Today, houses with the cannizzu roof can still be found in some rural areas of Salento, especially in the countryside of Nardò, Galatina, Specchia and near Otranto and Martignano. Some historic masserie still preserve these roofs, while in the most recent renovations there are attempts to re-propose them in a modern key, using innovative techniques to improve their resistance and durability over time.

The Return of the Cannizzu in Modern Architecture

In recent years, the recovery of traditional construction techniques has led architects and designers to rediscover the value of the “cannizzu” roof. Today it is often used in eco-friendly renovations, in luxury masserie and in agritourisms that want to maintain a link with local tradition.

If you happen to visit Salento, pay attention to the details of the oldest houses: you might discover that under a layer of lime there is still an ancient cannizzu roof!