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In the heart of the Sannio region lies Apice Vecchia, a ghost village that tells a story of life, loss, and resilience. The town was abandoned after the earthquake of August 21, 1962, when the violent tremor made many houses uninhabitable, forcing residents to relocate to the nearby settlement of Apice Nuovo.
Since then, the old village has remained frozen in time, with cobbled streets, stone houses, workshops, and squares preserving the soul of a past abruptly interrupted. Today, large areas of the village can be visited only on weekends, with guided tours available upon phone reservation or directly at the Apice Vecchia info point, where locals and enthusiasts accompany visitors through alleyways and abandoned homes. Particularly fascinating are the old workshop, the butcher’s shop, the pharmacist’s house, and the doctor’s house, spaces that feel as though the day of the earthquake never ended.
Walking through these places is like stepping back in time: every doorway, every object left behind tells the story of families, work, and daily life in a setting suspended between melancholy and poetry.
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Often called the “ghost town of Sannio”, yet here memory is more alive than ever.
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Some houses still contain small props used during a movie filmed in the village, adding to the surreal atmosphere.
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The streets open to visitors are adorned with vintage photographs, placed exactly where they were originally taken, showing how the village looked before the earthquake.
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Many describe it as an “open-air museum of emotions”, truly one of a kind.
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Among the must-see stops in the area accessible through the Apice Vecchia Info Point is the ancient Pharmacist’s House, once owned by one of the village’s most prominent families. The building still preserves the remains of the old pharmacy lab, complete with vintage tools and furnishings, as well as rooms adorned with original frescoes. Hanging on the walls, medical certificates tell the story of a man who was a true point of reference for the entire community. A place suspended in time, where healing and memory intertwine.
Walking through the silent alleys of Apice Vecchia, your eyes are drawn to details that silently tell the story of a life once lived. Old cars, untouched for decades, now blend with nature—wrapped in rust and vines, as if the land itself is gently reclaiming its space.
In the courtyard of the doctor’s villa, tree roots weave through the walls, as if trying to hold them up, embrace them, protect what time has marked. The decay is evident, but so is a haunting kind of beauty.
Scattered throughout are objects suspended in time: a chair, a coat, a lamp… still in place, as if waiting for someone to return and bring them back to life. Every corner holds a subtle presence, an echo of everyday life left imprinted on the walls.