Civita di Bagnoregio– 7/09/2013

On Saturday July 6th I sadly took Alex to the airport and we said our goodbyes as she embarked for home.  Afterwards I went to the gym and hung around the city of Florence a bit to before making my way back to the airport for the arrival of our friends Joan and Karla.  It was Joan’s second visit this year and Karla’s first time to Italy, and I ferried them to our apartment to begin their 11 day stay with us at Casa la Vite.   

One of the more interesting road trips we took together was to Civita di Bagnoregio.  Civita (che-VEET-a) is not your run of the mill 2,500 year old Etruscan founded village-turned medieval hill town; it is il paese che muore - The Dying Town.  One look at the picture below and you will understand why:

In the first several centuries A.D. Civita was a model of striking architecture and innovative construction.  Unfortunately the entire town had been built upon porous volcanic rock with underlying layers of loose clay.  In 1695 an earthquake shattered the countryside and started the crater-like erosion of the land around the city.  Both the town and its inhabitants have slowly disappeared as the shifting sands of time have literally fallen away from the town, taking walls, homes, and livelihoods with it.  The land erosion accelerated in the 1,800’s and today there are scarcely 100 inhabitants left to manage the summer tourist season.  There are fewer than a dozen inhabitants in winter.

The walk up to town is via the strada pedonale, the modern pedestrian footbridge that is the only connection from the city to the surrounding area.  As you can see, it is a daunting walk!

Over the centuries Civita remained true to its medieval heritage, with little influence of the Renaissance. The facade of the church was remodeled during the Renaissance, but the remainder of the church and the city are otherwise entirely medieval.

Its seems like every new town Angie and I explore is somehow, impossibly, more charming, more interesting, with more beautiful vistas than the last, but a visit to Civita di Bagnoregio is a truly unique experience.