A once-thriving Italian town, carved into the side of a cliff, now stands abandoned, drawing visitors fascinated by its haunting ruins.
Craco, located in the southern Italian region of Basilicata, was deserted decades ago after landslides, floods, and earthquakes made it too dangerous to live in.
What remains today is a crumbling medieval settlement, perched 400 metres above the Cavone River valley, with empty streets, collapsing buildings, and staircases leading to nowhere.
The town’s history stretches back thousands of years, with Greek settlers arriving in the sixth century BCE.
By the medieval period, Craco had grown into a fortified hilltop village, complete with a Norman watchtower and noble palaces.
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It was an important military centre under King Frederick II and later became home to a university.
But natural disasters sealed its fate. In 1963, the town’s residents were forced to evacuate after landslides, believed to have been triggered by infrastructure projects, made the area unstable.
A flood in 1972 made resettlement impossible, and the final blow came in 1980, when a devastating earthquake led to the town’s complete abandonment.
Now, Craco has become a destination for dark tourism, with guided tours allowing visitors to explore its ruins.
Due to the risk of collapse, access is only permitted with hard hats and safety precautions.
The town’s San Nicola church, once the heart of the community, is now roofless, with weeds growing at the altar.
Despite its abandoned state, some structures remain intact, including the church of Santa Maria della Stella, where a statue of the Virgin Mary still stands – though its child figure has mysteriously disappeared.
Craco’s eerie atmosphere has also made it a popular film location, featuring in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ (2004) and the James Bond movie Quantum of Solace (2008).
The town is also the subject of local legends, including a tavern owner who, according to 1945 memoir Christ Stopped at Eboli, lured in customers before turning them into vinegar.
Tours to visit the town can be found here.