Fabbriche di Careggine is a town in the area of Lago di Vagli, or Lake Vagli, in Lucca, Tuscany. You have probably never heard of it before, and for good reason: rather than near Lake Vagli, it would be more correct to say that it is beneath the lake. The medieval town, a long-time home to talented metal-working artisans, was flooded in 1953 in order to create the artificial lake, a hydroelectric basin.
Every decade, the lake is drained in order to perform maintenance and the town emerges from the depths of the water once more, giving rise to its nickname as a “ghost town.” Hundreds of thousands attend every time to watch as it slowly rises out of the lake.
Every decade, the lake is drained in order to perform maintenance and the town emerges from the depths of the water once more, giving rise to its nickname as a “ghost town.” Hundreds of thousands attend every time to watch as it slowly rises out of the lake.
However, even on normal days, one can sometimes get a glimpse of what lays beneath. When the waters are low enough, the top of the church tower is visible. If this sounds like something you would be interested in seeing for yourself, why not find a luxury villa in Tuscany and make a day-trip to see if you can get a glimpse of the ghost town?
Even without the intrigue of Fabbriche di Careggine, the surrounding area is a treat to visit. The comune of Vagli Sotto is made up of rolling hills and towering mountains, rich in forestry and verdant valleys, villages perched poetically on hillsides and shining waters below.
Even without the intrigue of Fabbriche di Careggine, the surrounding area is a treat to visit. The comune of Vagli Sotto is made up of rolling hills and towering mountains, rich in forestry and verdant valleys, villages perched poetically on hillsides and shining waters below.
The town itself dates back to the 13th century when a colony of blacksmiths from Bergamo and Brescia settled on the site. With the patronage of the Dukes of Este, the village became one of the most important iron suppliers in the country and lived prosperously. However, fortunes shift over time and their importance as iron suppliers was outweighed by the need for a hyrdoelectric basin in the twentieth century. Inhabitants were moved to the nearby towns of Vagli Sotto and, in moments, the town was flooded. Its appearance has been frozen in time, like Pompeii, since the fifties and when it is revealed for a summer at a time, visitors are keen to wander its streets.
Its stone buildings, cemetery, bridge and Church of Saint Theodore all remain in tact. The lake has been emptied in 1958, 1974, 1983 and 1994 but has not been revealed since then. There were plans to drain the lake in 2016 but that does not seem to be the case any longer. However, there are plans, in the future, to set a dome around the town and a bridge over it to make it permanently visible!
Until then, it is still a beautiful place to hike, explore and enjoy with the odd glimpse of that mysterious and enchanting ghost town peeping through. If you are in Lucca, make time to stop by.
Its stone buildings, cemetery, bridge and Church of Saint Theodore all remain in tact. The lake has been emptied in 1958, 1974, 1983 and 1994 but has not been revealed since then. There were plans to drain the lake in 2016 but that does not seem to be the case any longer. However, there are plans, in the future, to set a dome around the town and a bridge over it to make it permanently visible!
Until then, it is still a beautiful place to hike, explore and enjoy with the odd glimpse of that mysterious and enchanting ghost town peeping through. If you are in Lucca, make time to stop by.
Photo credits
picture 1: Garfag / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 3: Nimue / GFDL
picture 1: Garfag / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 3: Nimue / GFDL
