Exploring Italy's Ghost Towns: A Journey Through Abandoned Places

Luca Cantore D'Amore writes an essay for Artribune reflecting on Italy's ghost towns—abandoned settlements due to calamities or migration—in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. He draws parallels between the deserted urban centers during lockdown and these permanently empty places, questioning the difference between them. The article cites literary and artistic references, including André Gide, Rainer Maria Rilke, Matthias Grünewald, Totò, and Dante, to explore themes of decay, beauty, and spiritual renewal. Cantore D'Amore proposes a narrative journey through Italy's ghost towns, aiming to reveal their poetry and potential for emotional discovery. The piece is part of a series titled 'Italia fantasma' and encourages readers to appreciate these neglected sites as sources of beauty and insight, especially after the pandemic experience of emptiness.