Craco, Italy



This city located in the 'foot' of Italy, can trace its origins back to 1060, when the land was under the ownership of Archbishop Arnaldo of Tricarico. By the late 19th century, it had around 2,000 inhabitants but by 1922, almost 1,300 people from Craco moved to North America. The remaining population suffered from poor farming conditions and earthquakes over the years and in 1963, the remaining 1,800 people were shifted to a nearby village with more favorable living conditions. The hilltop town remains but only as a crumbling ruin.

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