<strong>Homes for sale: </strong>Bisaccia, a rural town in Italy's southern Campania region is the latest to join the wave of communities trying to reverse a depopulation trend by selling off crumbling houses for one euro, or little more than a dollar.
Homes for sale: Bisaccia, a rural town in Italy's southern Campania region is the latest to join the wave of communities trying to reverse a depopulation trend by selling off crumbling houses for one euro, or little more than a dollar.
Salvatore Cassese
<strong>Joint project: </strong>Unlike other towns and villages offering deals for people committing to one-off renovations, Bisaccia's officials say its tightly clustered architecture lends itself to more communal projects and wants groups of friends or big families to buy multiple properties.
Joint project: Unlike other towns and villages offering deals for people committing to one-off renovations, Bisaccia's officials say its tightly clustered architecture lends itself to more communal projects and wants groups of friends or big families to buy multiple properties.
Salvatore Cassese
<strong>Common entrances: </strong>"We face a very particular situation here," the town's deputy mayor, Francesco Tartaglia says. "The abandoned [area] spreads throughout the most ancient part of the village. Forsaken houses are clustered together, one next to the other along the same roads. Some even share a common entrance."
Common entrances: "We face a very particular situation here," the town's deputy mayor, Francesco Tartaglia says. "The abandoned [area] spreads throughout the most ancient part of the village. Forsaken houses are clustered together, one next to the other along the same roads. Some even share a common entrance."
Salvatore Cassese
<strong>Pampered visitors: </strong>"Bisaccia is dubbed the 'genteel town' because, despite the hardship, its people have always been respectable, welcoming, hard-working and resilient," says Tartaglia, the mayor. "Newcomers here are pampered and taken care of. We want this place to shine again."
Pampered visitors: "Bisaccia is dubbed the 'genteel town' because, despite the hardship, its people have always been respectable, welcoming, hard-working and resilient," says Tartaglia, the mayor. "Newcomers here are pampered and taken care of. We want this place to shine again."
Salvatore Cassese
<strong>View point: </strong>The town's belvedere viewpoint offers a bucolic vista over sanctuaries and ruins of Roman villas. The surrounding countryside is filled with Bronze Age caves and catacombs.
View point: The town's belvedere viewpoint offers a bucolic vista over sanctuaries and ruins of Roman villas. The surrounding countryside is filled with Bronze Age caves and catacombs.
Salvatore Cassese
<strong>Left behind: </strong>Local authorities own all the empty houses abandoned years ago by residents who fled in search of a brighter future.
Left behind: Local authorities own all the empty houses abandoned years ago by residents who fled in search of a brighter future.
Salvatore Cassese
<strong>Great location: </strong>Bisaccia is well placed for spectacular day trips across southern Italy. It straddles the border of three regions: Campania, Basilicata and Puglia. Naples and the UNESCO World Heritage site of Matera are both nearby.
Great location: Bisaccia is well placed for spectacular day trips across southern Italy. It straddles the border of three regions: Campania, Basilicata and Puglia. Naples and the UNESCO World Heritage site of Matera are both nearby.
Salvatore Cassese
<strong>Fixer upper:</strong> Most of the homes will need extensive renovations before they're habitable.
Fixer upper: Most of the homes will need extensive renovations before they're habitable.
Salvatore Cassese
<strong>Maze of streets: </strong>A labyrinth of alleys made of huge, uneven moss-covered cobblestone steps connect a series of arcaded stone portals, adorned with vaults and tunnels with dangling ferns.
Maze of streets: A labyrinth of alleys made of huge, uneven moss-covered cobblestone steps connect a series of arcaded stone portals, adorned with vaults and tunnels with dangling ferns.
Salvatore Cassese
<strong>Royal connection: </strong>Emperor Frederick II, known as the "Enlightened one" for his advancement in arts and sciences, loved to hunt in the woods in the 13th century.
Royal connection: Emperor Frederick II, known as the "Enlightened one" for his advancement in arts and sciences, loved to hunt in the woods in the 13th century.
Salvatore Cassese