The town of Balestrino in Liguria is comprised of two parts, the city in which people currently live at the base of a hill and an abandoned town atop it. Abandoned since 1953, the mysterious ghost town of Balestrino is eerily beautiful and utterly captivating. Very little is known about the original city's history and origins, only adding to the grand sense of mystery and intrigue that surrounds this most famous of Italian ghost towns. It is one of the most visited and popular ghost towns in the country with thousands of visitors and explorers coming to see it each year. However, with plans to redevelop the area on the cards, time could be running out to visit. If this sounds like something you would be interested in doing, find a luxury villa in Liguria and drop by.
Little information remains about Balestrino. We do not know exactly when it was established or why and when people began to leave. The town dates back to at least the 11th century. Ironically, the best-preserved building in the town is the Byzantine castle of Del Carretto.
The first castle there was built by the Bava family, nobles from Piedmont, who were the original feudal lords. In the 16th century, the Del Carretto family came into power and built their castle.
The castle was burned down and the lord was killed in 1561, leading the family to establish a court and torture chambers to maintain control and stop rioting.
The first castle there was built by the Bava family, nobles from Piedmont, who were the original feudal lords. In the 16th century, the Del Carretto family came into power and built their castle.
The castle was burned down and the lord was killed in 1561, leading the family to establish a court and torture chambers to maintain control and stop rioting.
The town managed to flourish in spite of all. However, during the occupation of Napoleon, battles between his armies and locals severely affected the area and its population. In 1860, with the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy, the town became part of Liguria after time under the rule of the Kingdom of Sardinia and Piedmont. It is presumed that it was the spate of earthquakes in the 19th century that led to more and more people leaving the area. The last inhabitants were eventually evacuated in 1953.
The abandoned area is 1.5 hectares wide and is made up of fascinating buildings such as the churches of St. George and St. Andrew, built in twelfth century.
The bridge of Deautra, covered in wild plants, is another beautiful corner of the abandoned town. Of course, the castle is another highlight. It overlooks a sea-facing valley and, as it is still almost entirely intact, it evokes the past glories of the town – when it was lively and thriving with a solid mill, furnace and soap-based economy.
The town has previously caught the attention of Hollywood before and was a location for the movie “Inkheart”. If you find yourself in Liguria, you should see why it captures the hearts and imaginations of so many for yourself.
The abandoned area is 1.5 hectares wide and is made up of fascinating buildings such as the churches of St. George and St. Andrew, built in twelfth century.
The bridge of Deautra, covered in wild plants, is another beautiful corner of the abandoned town. Of course, the castle is another highlight. It overlooks a sea-facing valley and, as it is still almost entirely intact, it evokes the past glories of the town – when it was lively and thriving with a solid mill, furnace and soap-based economy.
The town has previously caught the attention of Hollywood before and was a location for the movie “Inkheart”. If you find yourself in Liguria, you should see why it captures the hearts and imaginations of so many for yourself.
Photo credits
picture 1: Davide Papalini / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 2: Davide Papalini / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 3: Davide Papalini / CC BY-SA 3.0
picture 1: Davide Papalini / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 2: Davide Papalini / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 3: Davide Papalini / CC BY-SA 3.0
