Visited in 2021
Duration of visit : 2,5 hours
Città Storica
Italy is full of ghost towns, most of them have been abandoned due to earthquakes. This town dates back to at least the 8th century and has been hit by many earthquakes over the centuries.
In the 18th century it was hit by a severe earthquake which led to the loss of several tens of inhabitants. The town was rebuilt but in the last half of the 20th century two other massive earthquakes destroyed many homes and killed over a dozen inhabitants.
The residents had to move to a new city, one kilometer from the old town. A few however stayed in the largely abandoned town but after another big earthquake they left as well.
Residents had to leave their houses in a hurry; nowadays you can still find personal belongings in some homes and even cars are left in their garages. The narrow streets are now filled with vegetation, giving a special atmosphere but making it hard to get around.
Today, a number of people have breathed new life into the city. Some homes are inhabited again and a number of shops and restaurants have opened up on the outskirts of the city. A large part stays abandoned and is fenced off for the public.
