The resurgence of the little Italian Atlantis
The ghost town, the sunken village. This is how it is popularly known Fabbriche di Carreggine , which is submerged under 34 million cubic meters of water in a reservoir in the region of Garfagnana , baptized as **“the green island of Tuscany”. **
Its history dates back to 1946, when it was completely flooded to build Lake Vagli, an artificial reservoir owned by the energy company Enel, exploited for hydroelectric use, as well as constitutes a water reserve for the area in which it is located in case of fire.
Fabbriche di Careggine last seen
The inhabitants of Fabbriche di Carreggine were welcomed in the town of Vagli di Sotto, located on the promontory of the lake. Since then, the village, which was built in the 12th century , is uninhabited and submerged.
"Fabbriche di Careggine dates back to the twelfth century, when a colony of blacksmiths from Bergamo and Brescia settled on the banks of the Edron River. From the name Brescia, the first inhabitants they adopted the demonym of "Bresciani", which became a popular surname , still spread throughout the valley today," says Antonella Poli, from the Garfagnana Tourist Office, to Traveler.es.
But throughout its aquatic trajectory, it has once again become exceptionally caressed by the sun four times: in 1958, 1974, 1983 and 1994 , years in which the dam was emptied to **carry out maintenance work. **
Although there is still no official date due to the situation derived from the pandemic, it is estimated that at the latest in 2021 the ruins -pretty well preserved- of its cobbled houses, the cemetery, the bridge and the church of San Teodoro will be able be seen again.
"The bell of the church tower was transferred to the small cemetery of the town of Vergaia. A summer sunday a year it moves over the dam and for a day its sound spreads throughout the valley", explains Antonella Poli.
And it is that Enel, the company that is in charge of the reservoir, recently made a statement announcing that they are working with the municipality of Vagli di Sotto to promote sustainable tourism in the area ('ESSERE 2020 Project - Vagli'), which aims to raise awareness among both locals and visitors about **the importance of green and renewable energy. **
“I inform you that, from reliable sources, I know that next year, in 2021, Lake Vagli will be emptied. The last time it was emptied in 1994 when my father was mayor and thanks to his commitment and the many initiatives that he, with effort, had managed to set up in a single summer, the village of Vagli welcomed more than a million people” , commented a month ago Lorenza Giorgi, the daughter of the former mayor of Vagli di Sotto, on Facebook.
“I hope that next year, strong from past experience, of which everyone keeps a beautiful memory, and with the help of social networks, the great success can be repeated and surpassed, ”she pointed out.
The historic experience holds promise, but it won't be the only thing visitors remember from the trip: the Apuan Alps escort the Garfagnana valley (which literally means "great forest"), which, dotted with charming rural settlements and lush vegetation, will not leave nature lovers indifferent. Trekking or a bike route are the best ways to exploit to the fullest the beauty of the surroundings.