Perched dramatically on a cliff 1,300 feet above the ground, the abandoned town of Craco in southern Italy's Basilicata region has been empty since 1980. Now, guided tours offer visitors a chance to roam its decaying streets and worn buildings, revealing a history frozen in time.
A History Spanning Centuries
Craco's history dates back to the 6th century AD when it was a Greek settlement. In 1276, a university was established, and by the 15th century, four grand residences were built: Palazzo Maronna near the tower, Palazzo Grossi by the church, Palazzo Carbone on the Rigirones property, and Palazzo Simonetti. The town grew large enough to be divided into two districts.
Natural Disasters Lead to Abandonment
In the 1920s, natural elements took hold. Craco's hilltop location, combined with earthquakes and landslides, made it unsafe. After World War II, it was deemed uninhabitable. Residents gradually moved to a nearby valley, and by 1980, no one remained.
Craco Today: A Tourist Attraction and Film Set
Now listed on the World Monuments Fund watch list, Craco offers guided tours ranging from quick visits to in-depth historical talks. One Tripadvisor visitor wrote: "We drove 2 hours to Craco for a tour... I cannot stress enough how thoroughly enjoyable this tour is of this ghost town." Another called it "beautiful and suggestive." The site has also served as a film set for major movies, including Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ (2004) and Quantum of Solace directed by Marc Forster.
