Craco Italy the village that its people moved to America

Hello All

Some villages become ghost towns because of economic reason as well as environmental reasons.

Craco is a comune and medieval village located in the Region of Basilicata and the Province of Matera in Italy. 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.

Craco was built on a very steep summit, for defensive reasons, giving it a stark and striking appearance and distinguishing it from the surrounding lands which are characterized by soft shapes. The center, built on the highest side of the town, facing a ridge runs steeply to the southwest where newer buildings exist. The town sits atop a 400 meter high cliff that overlooks the Cavone River valley. Throughout the area are many unique vegetation-less mounds formed by intensive erosion that are called "calanchi."

ound 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. The town?s name can be dated to 1060 when the land was the possession of Archbishop Arnaldo, Bishop of Tricarico, who called the area ?GRACHIUM? which means "from the little plowed field." This long association of the Church with the town had a great influence on the inhabitants.

From 1154-1168 the control of the village passed to Eberto who established the first feudal control over the town. Then in 1179, Roberto di Pietrapertos became the landlord of Craco. In 1276 a university was established in town. During this period in the 13th century the landmark castle was built under the direction of Attendolo Sforza. In 1293 under Federico II, the Castle Tower became a prison. By the 15th century, four large plazas had developed in the town: Palazzo Maronna near the tower, Palazzo Grossi near the big church, Palazzo Carbone on the Rigirones property, and Palazzo Simonetti.

The inhabitants of the town went from 450 (1277), to 655 (1477), and 1,718 (1532) until reaching 2,590 in 1561; and averaged 1,500 in succeeding centuries. During 1656 a plague struck with hundreds dying and reducing the number of families in the town.

By 1799 there was enough impetus to change the feudal system and Innocenzo De Cesare who had been a student in Naples returned and promoted an independent Municipality. This led to the town come under the control of the Italian King but was followed by a period of French occupation. By 1815 the town was large enough to divide it into two districts: Torrevecchia ? the highest area adjacent to the castle and tower, and Quarter della Chiesa Madre ? the area adjacent to San Nicola?s Church

With the unification of Italy there was a growth of ?brigands? in the area who plagued the town until the mid-1860s. With the end of the civil strife the greatest difficulty the town faced became environmental and geological.

From 1892 - 1922 over 1,300 Crachesi left to settle in North America because poor agricultural conditions created desperate times as the land was not producing enough for the people.

During the mid-twentieth century, recurring earthquakes began to take a toll on the viability of the town. Between 1959 and 1972, portions of the village were severely damaged and rendered uninhabitable by a series of frana, or landslides. The geological threat to the town was known to scientists since 1910, due to Craco's location on a hill of Pliocene sands overhanging the clays, with ravines causing progressive incisions.

Now, Craco is an uninhabited, empty crumbing sand castle city on a peak that once boasted a vibrated community that has made a new life elsewhere.

Hardluck 

Linkback:

You are not allowed to view links.
Please Register or Login

http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,15140.msg97050.html#msg97050