It is well known that Italy It has an important historical and cultural heritage, in addition to hiding some really beautiful landscapes. However, many people are unaware that beyond well-known cities such as Rome, Venice, Florence or Milan, Italy hides some really spectacular towns. In Hard Hobbit To Break, for example, we have already told you about the most beautiful villages in Tuscany, but today we want to tell you about a place less known by tourists.
We are referring to Craco, a beautiful medieval town that was abandoned around 1975. Do you want to discover it further? We assure you that you will not regret it!
Craco's location
The ghost town of Craco is located in the Materia province in Basilicata, a region in southern Italy that has historically been known as Lucania. This abandoned medieval city is today a tourist destination, as well as a place where some films have been filmed, such as "The Passion of the Christ" by Mel Gibson or "Quantum of Solace" by Marc Foster, which is the twenty-second James Bond film. One of its great attractions is, without a doubt, its location, since it is located on a steep hill, 400 meters high, in the Cavone valley.
Craco's story
Craco, which was previously known as Graculum or Cracum, has more than 2,500 years of history. Originally pre-romanesqueHistorians believe that it was founded between the 8th century and the 6th century B.C., although the truth is that little is known from its history, at least until the 10th century, when the city passed into the hands of Archbishop Arnaldo di Tricarico. From this moment on, the Basel monks gave a strong impulse to the place, repopulating it and rebuilding it. Later, Craco would pass into the hands of different kings and nobles of the Middle Ages.
The causes of abandonment
As we mentioned at the beginning, Craco was abandoned around 1975. In fact, the last inhabitant of the city abandoned it that year. Before this date (since the 50s and 70s), some movements seismic they had destroyed the houses of the place, reason why their inhabitants were leaving them little by little. And that throughout its history had overcome other landslides and numerous epidemics that had killed much of its population. However, life in this place was, unfortunately, unsustainable, since the city is located on a hill made of sand and clay, so any tremor could completely destroy it.
Craco Attractions
As we have mentioned before, Craco surprises for its location at 400 meters high, although tourists who come to this place are also attracted by the bleak panorama that can be seen here. And it is that the town is today a set of streets and houses totally destroyed, although it is intuited what in the past were some stately houses, old churches or the castle tower. They highlight the churches medieval towns, some of which house important relics. Before saying goodbye and leaving us with our gallery, we want to tell you that, although many of the corners are covered by brush and have been looted, the truth is that there are some buildings that remain practically intact. In addition, it is important to note that thanks to the fact that tourism in this place has increased, financing to conserve the place has also increased.
Then we leave you with our Gallery, where you will find more images of the abandoned town of Craco. Do not miss it!
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Reviving Italy's ghost towns with an unusual hotel - BBC News (April 2024)
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