The Sicilian ghost town that refuses to die

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Half a century ago, the picturesque town of Poggioreale in Sicily was hit by an earthquake that forced most of its citizens to flee for good, even though many buildings remained standing.

What they left has become one of the largest ghost towns in Italy – a place frozen at the precise moment of the earthquake. In the school, only a part is destroyed, the scribbles of the pupils are always on the board and a calendar on the wall marks the year: 1968.

Outside, cobbled streets lined with lavishly frescoed palaces, decorated stone porches, tiled floors and Arabic-style courtyards – once inhabited by wealthy farmers and landowners – remain empty. except for a few stray dogs.

Dead city: In Sicily, the beautiful old town of Poggioreale has been deserted since 1968, when a devastating earthquake drove many locals to flee.

Courtesy of Giacinto Musso

The gilded stone facades of the buildings shine in the light of the sun while the colorful walls and ceilings stand out among fallen trees, moss and rubble.

The Sicilians call this place their modern Pompeii. It is an open-air museum where architecture has withstood the ravages of nature.

But the clock of Poggioreale could be about to turn again and the ghosts of the past banished. Girolamo Cangelosi, mayor of the new town of Poggioreale that was built further down the valley after the earthquake, planned to bring it back to life – and he wants the Americans to help him.

"Since the earthquake of 1968, this beautiful village is empty," he told CNN Travel. "I want to bring him back from the grave and make him shine as before."

The great idea of ​​Cangelosi is not just to dream awake. He has already begun to draw plans and put the architects to sleep. He only needs money to do it.

That's why he recently embarked on a global fundraising crusade, focusing primarily on former Poggioreale residents and their families, 5,000 of whom are currently living in the United States. scattered between New York, Texas, Mbadachusetts and Louisiana.

A stopover was also planned in Australia, where about 4,000 others emigrated after the earthquake.

Broken price

Cangelosi is convinced that he can not only persuade the nostalgic diaspora of his city to sink some of the wealth of the New World into their former home, but also attract money from other tourists who are hoping grab a piece of pure Italian magic at a great price.

"I travel around the world to reconnect with the families of the region who have been away for a long time, but who still feel a strong attachment to their hometown and wish to help," he said, adding that he said he was not there. he was counting on the fact that "tourists who love our developers and emigrants from Poggioreale now living in other countries will give a hand."

Poggioreale is the last depopulated city of Sicily and other cities in Italy to attempt radical solutions to stop their slide into oblivion. A series of other communities sold old houses for one euro – or a little more than a dollar – to people ready to settle.

Some houses in Poggioreale can be sold for one euro.

Silvia Marchetti

This is an agreement that could also be considered in Poggioreale – as long as investors are willing to spend the 50,000 euros needed to renovate an old property – once basic reconstruction has restored the safety of roads and piazzas and restore links with public services.

Anyone tempted to invest would make his entry into Sicilian history. The city, whose name translates as "the royal mound", was founded in 1642 by a prince to whom the region was offered by Ferdinand IV, the Bourbon king of Spain and Sicily.

Legend has it that a former colony was built by Elimo, a Trojan hero who fled his burning city and found refuge among gentle hills and forests at the foot of Mount Castellazzo in Sicily.

Old glory

Poggioreale has a theater, a library, a hospital and a market, all waiting for reconstruction.

Silvia Marchetti

Whatever the history of the origin, Poggioreale has grown over the centuries to become a prosperous Sicilian town with a huge amphitheater-shaped square with churches and temples overlooking a pristine valley.

An idyllic place, until the earthquake.

Reminders of the tragedy are always visible. Under a collapsed roof is a destroyed ambulance from the 1960s, sporting a red cross. His wheels are turned to the right – he was coming out of the garage when the ground shook. It has never been done to save those in need.

Tragic reminder: an ambulance crushed by a falling roof. Silvia Marchetti

Today, part of the old town of Poggioreale is used as a training ground for rescuers and their dogs.

In theory, it should not take much to restore Poggioreale to something like his past glory. The city has good facilities, but in poor condition. There is a theater, a library, a hospital, a market, an orphanage and even a small inn for travelers.

Some buildings still carry the labels of their former occupants – an attraction for locals who sometimes come in search of their family's old home in the maze of alleys in the old town.

Living witness

Giacinto Musso, on the right, helps to preserve the city.

Silvia Marchetti

The goal of Cangelosi is to make Poggioreale a niche resort with quaint homes, shops, craft shops, restaurants, bars and bed and breakfasts. The surrounding countryside is always perfect, with peaceful olive groves and meadows grazed by sheep.

The surrounding hills (ideal for biking, hiking and mushroom hunting) are dotted with ruined castles and other smaller ghost hamlets like Salaparuta, where farms, columns and fountains collapsed. are buried under lush vegetation.

Extra virgin olive oil, sheep cheese specialties and quality local wines are also on offer.

The mayor is not alone in his mission to revitalize the ghost town. A group of volunteers, led by Giacinto Musso, strives to preserve the site and recover lost items.

Musso, whose grandfather died as a result of the earthquake, travels to the city every day to greet visitors, remain a sentry near the ruins and share his memories as a living witness.

"I was playing with other kids my age along the sunny street," he recalls. "The olive oil stores mingled with cattle ranchers, nobles, actors and craftsmen. It was a prosperous city. The couples wandered in the evening when the peasants returned from the fields.

"Poggioreale is not a dead city, it is alive and my mission in life is to prevent it from falling into oblivion."