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All Italy Province of Matera The Village of Craco

The Village of Craco

An Italian hillside ghost town.

Province of Matera, Italy

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ser flac
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Decrepit structures in the medieval village   ivo.spadone/Flickr
The hillside ghost town of Craco   vanto_6747/Flickr
Vegetation-less mounds below Craco   SlackMass/Flickr
Aerial view of Craco   Basilicata Travel/Flickr
Clouds float above the hillside town   HTB/Flickr
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After surviving the black plague and bands of marauding thieves for more than 1,400 years, a landslide finally forced residents from Craco in 1991.

Considering the hillside village's long tenure, it's amazing the residents were not forced out earlier by Mother Nature. Craco was founded in the 8th century, and was a brilliant survivor considering the volatile nature of the medieval period. The village sits on a cliff 400 meters off of the ground. With panoramic views, the city center can easily be defended from the average barbarian horde.

Despite its advantages, Craco is at a serious natural disadvantage. Exposed to the elements along with earthquakes and landslides, Craco finally caved in near the millennium.

Even without residents, the storied history of the town has left quite a monument to medieval architecture through the ages. The striking castle was built in 1300 and dominates the view on the cliff. Along with the castle, a church in Craco houses a statue of the Virgin Mary that was remarkably discovered in a nearby body of water.

Even though emigration has left Craco eerily uninhabited, life returns to the town during one of the many religious festivals held there paying homage to the Virgin Mary and the statue. Six festivals happen in Craco from May to October. Visitors coming during other seasons can still enjoy the dilapidated town and views of the surrounding area, which include "calanchi," arid and barren mounds below the cliffs of Craco.

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Intriguing Environs Ghost Towns Abandoned Ecosystems

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MagnumPI, aribrown, Stern, atimian

  • MagnumPI
  • aribrown
  • Stern
  • atimian

Published

August 10, 2011

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Sources
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craco
  • http://www.localidautore.com/paesi/craco-2087.aspx
The Village of Craco
6 Strada Comunale Craco-Montalbano Jonico
Province of Matera, 75010
Italy
40.378761, 16.439997
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