Tocco Caudio
Encyclopedia
Tocco Caudio is the name of a village and comune
in the province of Benevento
, in the Campania
region of southern Italy
. The old town was abandoned after a series of earthquakes in 1980 and 1981.
As with many ancient towns in this mountainous region of southern Italy, Tocco Caudio was built on a promontory ridge. Tocco Caudio's ridge is fairly small and somewhat isolated. This arrangement made the town easily defensible, while having ready access to ridge-top roads along which a traveller would not need to cross any rivers. Also, as was typical with medieval
development, the town is fairly compact with narrow streets.
In the 20th century the town layout, previously beneficial for the inhabitants, became a hindrance, as most of the core of Tocco Caudio was fairly inaccessible to automobiles. After going up a short, steep hill, one could drive a car only along one part of the main street. In other towns in the province, [Sant'Agata Dei Goti] being a good example, many houses and shops in the old town areas are now vacant due to their inconvenience. Many new homes tend to be built around the old town centers, as there is no need to stay within the old defensive walls.
historical habitat of Tocco Caudio. Rather than rebuild the historic town, the citizens were forced unwantedly to completely abandon it and resettle around the ridge. Today there are esentialy two Tocco Caudios: an empty old town and a new town above it in a location called Friuni. The settlers there have never felt this in their town, and the loss of the historical town still lies in the memories of all, as if having lost the roots of the past, and having never planted the roots of the future and thus a population with no real identity.
Anything of value from the historic center was stolen throughout the following years of the earthquake, eyes that should have been vigil in the control of such mishaps went blind, ears deaf and tonques silent, the final result today is reality a[ghost town]. Most buildings are derelict; the church has lost its roof, although the brick belltower and the incredible stone spiral staircase to the bellfry are in excellent condition. Fortunately the local and provincial administration from the year 2000 have managed to receive government grants to rebuild the old church, mainly to resemble a sort of historical landmark, as if to erect and let emerge a flame over an empty graveyard, as sort of lighthouse, to evoke not danger, but a light of hope and goodwill to renew and start new era for all.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
in the province of Benevento
Province of Benevento
The Province of Benevento is a province in the Campania region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Benevento.It has an area of 2,071 km², and a total population of 289,455...
, in the Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
region of southern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The old town was abandoned after a series of earthquakes in 1980 and 1981.
Geography
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
development, the town is fairly compact with narrow streets.
In the 20th century the town layout, previously beneficial for the inhabitants, became a hindrance, as most of the core of Tocco Caudio was fairly inaccessible to automobiles. After going up a short, steep hill, one could drive a car only along one part of the main street. In other towns in the province, [Sant'Agata Dei Goti] being a good example, many houses and shops in the old town areas are now vacant due to their inconvenience. Many new homes tend to be built around the old town centers, as there is no need to stay within the old defensive walls.
History
In 1980 and 1981, earthquakes damaged much of the oldhistorical habitat of Tocco Caudio. Rather than rebuild the historic town, the citizens were forced unwantedly to completely abandon it and resettle around the ridge. Today there are esentialy two Tocco Caudios: an empty old town and a new town above it in a location called Friuni. The settlers there have never felt this in their town, and the loss of the historical town still lies in the memories of all, as if having lost the roots of the past, and having never planted the roots of the future and thus a population with no real identity.
Anything of value from the historic center was stolen throughout the following years of the earthquake, eyes that should have been vigil in the control of such mishaps went blind, ears deaf and tonques silent, the final result today is reality a[ghost town]. Most buildings are derelict; the church has lost its roof, although the brick belltower and the incredible stone spiral staircase to the bellfry are in excellent condition. Fortunately the local and provincial administration from the year 2000 have managed to receive government grants to rebuild the old church, mainly to resemble a sort of historical landmark, as if to erect and let emerge a flame over an empty graveyard, as sort of lighthouse, to evoke not danger, but a light of hope and goodwill to renew and start new era for all.