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All Italy Sorrento Valle dei Mulini (Valley of the Mills)
AO Edited

Valle dei Mulini (Valley of the Mills)

An Italian crevasse filled with abandoned buildings gives visitors a look at the world without humans.

Sorrento, Italy

Added By
Luca Catarinicchia
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Valle dei Mulini   Mentnafunangann on Wikimedia
One of the abandoned mills.   Mentnafunangann on Wikimedia
An interior of one of the buildings.   Mentnafunangann on Wikimedia
  deJenerate / Atlas Obscura User
  debbiezioni / Atlas Obscura User
  debbiezioni / Atlas Obscura User
  mocchiatto / Atlas Obscura User
  juanillooo
Viale Enrico Caruso in 2010   CanadaGood / Atlas Obscura User
View from Viale Enrico Caruso in 2010   CanadaGood / Atlas Obscura User
  juanillooo
View from Viale Enrico Caruso in 2010   CanadaGood / Atlas Obscura User
  Archimedes / Atlas Obscura User
  justing / Atlas Obscura User
September 2017   sharondee98 / Atlas Obscura User
September 2017   StephenVincent / Atlas Obscura User
September 2017   StephenVincent / Atlas Obscura User
Valley of the Mills - March 2019   minklemar / Atlas Obscura User
May 2025   savageme42 / Atlas Obscura User
As of December 2019, they’re working to restore the mills.   ickaimp / Atlas Obscura User
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About

The “Valle dei Mulini," or "Valley of Mills," is a verdant grouping of modern ruins nestled at the bottom of a deep Italian crevasse. 

The deep crack in the rock which houses the crumbling buildings originated during a huge eruption which devastated the Mediterranean area 35.000 years ago. The flour mills, built from stone as far back as the 13th century,  took advantage of the constant stream at the bottom of the valley. They ground all the types of wheat needed by the Sorrentine people in the surrounding area.

After the flour mills were successfully established, other early industrial outfits began springing up to take advantage of the waters at the bottom: a sawmill was built which furnished the chaff used by local cabinet-masters and there was a wash-house used by women for personal hygiene and laundering clothes.

After the milling of flour was largely shifted to nearby pasta mills, the sunken area of industry became largely obsolete and the buildings were closed and abandoned in the 1940's. Since their closing, the brick buildings have been slowly taken over by the aggressive greenery that thrives in the humid crevasse. The gorgeous buildings hidden in the Valley of the Mills look like nothing more than a slice of what the world will look like when humans are gone.

Update: As of November 2019, the city has voted to restore the Mills, which is currently in progress. 

Related Tags

Ruins Nature Hidden Natural Wonders Intriguing Environs Ecosystems

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The mills can be seen from Viale Enrico Caruso, which is suspended over the canyon and the intersection with Via Fuorimura.

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Added By

Luke Cata

Edited By

CanadaGood, FlipV, Molly McBride Jacobson, ickaimp...

  • CanadaGood
  • FlipV
  • Molly McBride Jacobson
  • ickaimp
  • MrCarl
  • EricGrundhauser
  • savageme42
  • deJenerate
  • sharondee98
  • StephenVincent
  • Archimedes
  • justing
  • minklemar
  • mocchiatto
  • Bluebeers
  • hayleyg94
  • debbiezioni

Published

December 21, 2015

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Sources
  • http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valle_dei_Mulini_(Gragnano)
  • http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/photo-contest/2012/entries/167692/view/
  • http://www.sorrentoweb.com/uk/windmill/index.htm
  • http://www.ildomenicaledicasoria.it/attualita/costume-e-societa/501-ci-sono-posti-incredibili-frammenti-d-italia-abbandonati-e-sconosciuti-di-una-bellezza-che-lascia-senza-fiato
  • http://www.paesionline.it/sorrento/natura_e_sport/vallone_dei_mulini.asp
  • https://www.google.com/maps/place/Vallone+dei+Mulini+di+Sorrento/@40.624741,14.3757121,74m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x133b9eac55163a3b:0x41607b40bf63d73e!2sViale+Enrico+Caruso,+80067+Sorrento+NA,+Italy!3b1!8m2!3d40.6258825!4d14.3761832!3m4!1s0x133b9eacf7c95255:0x966ce66ef9c5a52c!8m2!3d40.6248162!4d14.3760107
  • https://www.positanonews.it/2019/12/sorrento-undici-domande-ad-un-convegno-sul-vallone-dei-mulini/3348485/
Valle dei Mulini (Valley of the Mills)
Viale Enrico Caruso
Sorrento, 80067
Italy
40.624689, 14.375598
Get Directions

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