A golden mantle from the sun, a cosmic silence, the wild land. This is what reigns today in the small medieval village of Craco. A hidden city, shielded by natural barriers, almost inaccessible. As if created by the pen of the best fantasy author. It is there, in the innermost heart of the Basilicata, stops in time waiting for someone to come to visit her.
The birth of a jewel
Austere and unattainable, as if it were enough in itself. This is the feeling you might have at first glance. By placing your feet on that barren land, your gaze on its beauties may give you the impression of violating it. And yes, why Craco is a city as concrete as it is surreal. Wrapped in a timeless charm, almost as if she were wearing a sacred robe. Not by chance has been called a "ghost town". Yet it exists, it can be touched, perceived, felt. His is an “old” presence. The first settlements date back to the eighth century BC But the city itself is dated to 1060. It was born under the name of Graculum, or “small plowed field”. The life of the country continued for centuries, marked by the passage of time. A mixture of architectural styles, expression of human wisdom. Crossing the entrance you will find the fifteenth-century noble palaces. Still and motionless they stand facing the main square. Other buildings from the same period follow: Palazzo Grossi and Palazzo Carbone with rich decorations. And then suddenly it stands up the castle tower. Imposing and robust, he turns his stern gaze towards the city. But that's not all. Craco is crossed by the districts.
Unusual places where you can let yourself be carried away by the suggestion of history. Song book, San Lorenzo, Sant'Eligio. Among these it is the first to have a greater influence on the minds of those who walk it. The legend tells of the presence of an ancient tavern to which the district owes its name. There one bewitching innkeeper he trapped the patrons of the place in his seductive net. As if she were a goddess of mythology, the charming woman used her amatory weapons to kill. The unfortunate men, who had fallen into a trap, were in fact put in vinegar becoming the "protagonists" of a typical dish of the area.
Craco today
Currently it is possible to visit the city only accompanied. A small tourist office where you can book the mini tour. Equipped with a helmet, for safety reasons, tourists can enjoy the "Narrator" of a guide. Understanding what you observe and walk through. The past history of an ancient village. But there is more. In addition to the artistic and historical explanations, Craco offers the visitor a dreamlike atmosphere. Someone admits to having perceived mysterious sounds. Maybe the items of those ancient presences that once animated the village. As well as unusual moving figures inside the old houses and farms that characterize some districts. The surreal silence of these places, the empty streets, the mighty buildings are transformed into voices and visions. Those fruit of a suggestive imagination.
Echoes also explained by the particular morphology of the territory. A nature that masters. Strong and sinewy. Are the badlands, effects of erosion of a clayey soil "eaten" by water over time. Strange conformations arise: holes, hollows, mouths. A landscape that can be enjoyed by climbing to the old tower. All with the help of safety systems. In fact, it should not be forgotten that Craco was affected by landslides, floods and earthquakes. The last occurred only in 1980 led to the total abandonment of the village. From that moment it acquired the title of "Ghost Town". But since 2010 the restoration works of the area began. The necessary safeguarding of a historical heritage which today records an important turnout of visitors.
