Tuesday, 1 October 2024

Ghost villages


There are many old villages in Central Italy that have been left deserted due to migration, as working-age populations are moving to urban areas. 
Last week I heard the silence and the atmosphere of some old villages, which are experiencing a period of gradual depopulation. they are located in the border region of Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio (Central Italy).  


The main problem, which is stricly related to this demographic phenomenon, is that everyone leaving their homevillage does so not to come back again. 


I've found an article about the Italian demographic phenomenon above mentioned. It was published in 2021 by Anna-Leena Korpijärvi. She wrote that a falling birth rate is also responsible for this gradual depopulation. In addition, these villages sometimes lack services, as there are no supermarkets, banks or pharmacies. And the close hospital is one hour away.  


In my opinion, lower local taxes may be an action to be implemented in old villages affected by depopulation. 


Have a nice month of October  🍁🍄🌰🍂 

25 comments:

  1. Que triste...me ha causado pesar porqe los pueblos son el núcleo de las ciudades, una parte impotantisima en la historia de la nación, comprendo los motivos, pero como tu pienso que los estados deberian solucionarlo de alguna forma porque son joyas a conservar
    Un placer enorme haber llegado hasta este spot
    Un abrazo

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    1. Hello, Stella! Thanks for leaving such an interesting comment. I've heard there are abandoned villages in Spain too, unfortunately.

      With relation to Spain, my daughters have just come back from your country, where they spent three day. They have said Madrid is marvelous. They rent a bike and went biking through its old alleys. 🚲🚲

      I hope you'll enjoy this 1st week of October 🍄🍂🌰

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    2. Si Giorgio, aquí también hay ya muchos pueblos abandonados, y eso me prodiuce pesar, son lugares preciosos, dignos de disfrutarlos, pero como bien dices la baja natalidad y tanta tecnología se han perdido muchos puestos de trabajo, además los jovenes no quieren o o les interesa trabajar en las labores del campo, todo unido han vaciado distintos pueblos, y es una pena, el que tu muestras es preciosoo, muy antiguo todo de piedra ¡una gozada...
      Un fuerte abrazo

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  2. Hello Giorgio
    Happy October!
    How interesting... and very eerie.. It would fascinating to visit one of these deserted villages
    Phoebe

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    1. It would be a good idea to set off on an itinerary among the ancient abandoned villages.
      Thank you for visiting my blog :-)

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  3. Hi Giorgio!
    Your words about the depopulation of villages are sad :(
    My friend, in some places in Poland the situation is similar. Young people are leaving for bigger cities, because they are looking for work. In small towns there are no prospects for the future. Unfortunately, but the authorities are to blame - I'll tell the truth: inept local authorities. In small towns, deals and arrangements reign supreme.
    Giorgio, I salute you!

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    1. Sorry to hear the situation is similar in some Poland's villages.
      Thank you for sharing your thoughts about this topic.
      Warm regards, Anna.

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  4. It is sad when this happens to villages, and I think many countries experience this.

    I did enjoy seeing the photographs.

    Wishing you a good month of October.

    All the best Jan
    https://thelowcarbdiabetic.blogspot.com/

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    1. Policy-maker's have to adopt measures with the aim of relocate people in abandoned villages.

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  5. Son villas muy lindas lastima que no haya nadie. Te mando un beso.

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  6. I think that the causes about decline in births and depopulation of these places are different: crisis, no job, and prices to live in Italy very expensive don't help Italians to to want to have children. The problem of the Ghost Villages is the absolute lack of shops, hospitals, banks also near these places if not inside the village.

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    1. Last year, a local administrator in the south of Italy said he would pay people up to €30,000 to relocate in a village, whose population has decreased sharply since early 2000.

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  7. Ciao Giorgio! Adoro questi antichi borghi italiani. È un peccato che le persone abbiano lasciato le loro case e non torneranno mai più a casa.
    Buon ottobre!

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    1. Some of those old abandoned villages are really beautiful.

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  8. What a sad reality for these ghost villages!
    It’s tough to see once-thriving communities left in silence.
    The lack of services really makes it hard for people to stay or come back.
    I totally agree that lowering local taxes could help bring some life back to these places.

    Happy Thursday, Giorgio!

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    1. During the Covid-19 pandemic I thought that population of those old villages wouldn't have decreased, due to the fact that remote working had been increasing.

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  9. Perhaps wealthy people will start to use these charming villages as vacation retreats.

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    1. True. Some investors could be interested in such villages. I hope so.

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  10. Buen fin de semana. Te mando un beso.

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  11. Triste y muy real amigo. En España hay el mismo problema y al parecer a los políticos no les preocupa. Algunos de estos pueblos son una maravilla.
    Buen otoño.
    Un abrazo.

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  12. Ciao Giorgio! Such a long time I didn't write on your blog!
    I love abandoned places so your post attracted me like honey for bthe bees! :D
    I've been to a ghost town in Tuscany some years ago and my first reaction has been: "How I wish to come to live here!". The main problem is the lack of services, as you correctly wrote. Moreover, if you don't have a car (like me) it's pretty impossible to live there for more than a week, I think.
    And it's a pity, because some ghost towns are hidden gems of our beautiful country and we should try to save them in some way!

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    1. Glad to see you're back blogging, Miryam :-)
      Unfortunately, there are many ghost villages in our country, and most of them are located in Central Italy. During the Covid-19 pandemic (2020-2022) I did hope population wouldn't continue to leave those beautiful villages, thanks to remote jobs that began to spread. But it wasn't the case.
      There are churches and homes made with old stones that were completely abandoned. I'll visit another one soon.
      Thank you for sharing your interesting point of view about this topic.
      I hope you will be attracted by my next post too :-)

      Warm regards,
      Giorgio

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