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Italian Ghost Town: Craco, Italy
Craco is located in the Region of Basilicata and the Province of Matera.
About 25 miles inland from the Gulf of Taranto at the instep of the
“boot” of Italy.The medieval village of Craco is typical of the hill towns of the region
with mildly undulating shapes and the lands surrounding it sown with
wheat. Around 540AD the area was called “Montedoro” and inhabited by
Greeks who moved inland from the coastal town of Metaponto. Tombs have
been found dating from the 8th century suggesting the original
settlement dates back to then. Today, earthquakes, landslides, and a
lack of fertile farming land have contributed to the abandonment of
Craco.
In 1891, the population of Craco stood at well over 2,000 people. Though
there had been many problems, with poor agricultural conditions
creating desperate times. Between 1892 and 1922 over 1,300 people moved
from the town to North America. Poor farming was added to by
earthquakes, landslides, and War - all of which contributed to this mass
migration. Between 1959 and 1972 Craco was plagued by these landslides
and quakes. In 1963 the remaining 1,800 inhabitants were transferred to a
nearby valley called Craco Peschiera, and the original Craco remains in
a state of crumbling decay to this day.
