There are quite a few abandoned, or nearly abandoned, towns in Italy and each has its own particular appeal and unique charms. There is just something fascinating and hauntingly beautiful about places that are crumbling, that nature is taking back and which are devoid of human presence.
One such town is Leri Cavour in the comune of Trino which is located north-east of Turin in Piedmont.
One such town is Leri Cavour in the comune of Trino which is located north-east of Turin in Piedmont.
Leri Cavour has changed hands a number of times during its history but today it seems that no one wants this patch of land or to take responsibility for the once opulent town which is now decaying beyond repair. If you want to wander around this dream-like, eerie and surreal testament to the past, first find a holiday rental in Piedmont, and then take a day or afternoon out to visit the abandoned town.
Originally, Leri Cavour was a prized site due to its rich soil and the quality of the agricultural land in the area. Going back to the fifteenth century, when the area was the site of a religious order, Leri Cavour was a location in which grains and other crops were grown.
Originally, Leri Cavour was a prized site due to its rich soil and the quality of the agricultural land in the area. Going back to the fifteenth century, when the area was the site of a religious order, Leri Cavour was a location in which grains and other crops were grown.
Over time, new techniques and methods were developed in the area and this allowed agricultural production to remain hugely important until the land was bought by Napoleon. Not long after, it was sold on again in order for Napoleon to pay off a debt. It then came into the possession of Marquis Michele Benso di Cavour, from whom the town that was later established in the area would take its name.
Cavour took his control over this new area very seriously and began a program of updating and bettering the buildings and farming processes. It was only then that Leri Cavour proper was established, with Cavour constructing a lush mansion for himself. By the mid-1800s the town became a state-of-the-art farming community and its wealth began to become apparent from just looking around the town.
Sadly, however, when fate meant that the town entered a period of being passed from steward to steward in quick succession, it suffered hugely and was eventually abandoned by the late 1960s. This remains the case to this day, despite various schemes and proposals to correct it which have been put forward over the years.
The town that remains has been looted and damaged and while it is, indeed, rather eerie, it is still a fascinating space to explore. Inside the mansion, little remains but frescoes and plaster mouldings on the walls tell the tale of what this town used to be and used to look like. If you're spending time in Piedmont, this is one unique site that you can visit for free and which will be quite unlike anything you've seen before.
Cavour took his control over this new area very seriously and began a program of updating and bettering the buildings and farming processes. It was only then that Leri Cavour proper was established, with Cavour constructing a lush mansion for himself. By the mid-1800s the town became a state-of-the-art farming community and its wealth began to become apparent from just looking around the town.
Sadly, however, when fate meant that the town entered a period of being passed from steward to steward in quick succession, it suffered hugely and was eventually abandoned by the late 1960s. This remains the case to this day, despite various schemes and proposals to correct it which have been put forward over the years.
The town that remains has been looted and damaged and while it is, indeed, rather eerie, it is still a fascinating space to explore. Inside the mansion, little remains but frescoes and plaster mouldings on the walls tell the tale of what this town used to be and used to look like. If you're spending time in Piedmont, this is one unique site that you can visit for free and which will be quite unlike anything you've seen before.
Photo credits
picture 1: Alessandro Vecchi / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 2: Marco Plassio / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 3: crazybobbles / CC BY-SA 3.0
picture 1: Alessandro Vecchi / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 2: Marco Plassio / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 3: crazybobbles / CC BY-SA 3.0
