Castelluccio is a village in

Umbria it, Umbro (man) it, Umbra (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , ...

, in the

Apennine Mountains The Apennines or Apennine Mountains (; grc-gre, links=no, Ἀπέννινα ὄρη or Ἀπέννινον ὄρος; la, Appenninus or – a singular with plural meaning;''Apenninus'' (Greek or ) has the form of an adjective, which wou ...

of central

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

. Administratively, it is a ''

frazione A ''frazione'' (plural: ) is a type of subdivision of a ''comune'' (municipality) in Italy, often a small village or hamlet outside the main town. Most ''frazioni'' were created during the Fascist era (1922–1943) as a way to consolidate territ ...

'' of the ca. 28 km distant town

Norcia Norcia (), traditionally known in English by its Latin name of Nursia (), is a town and comune in the province of Perugia (Italy) in southeastern Umbria. Unlike many ancient towns, it is located in a wide plain abutting the Monti Sibillini, a su ...

. According to the 2001 census, it had close to 150 inhabitants.

Geography

The village lies at 1452 m, making it the highest settlement in the Apennines. It lies above the "Great Plain" ( Piano Grande - 1270 m), next to the

Monti Sibillini National Park The Monti Sibillini National Park ( it, Parco Nazionale dei Monti Sibillini) is an Italian national park located across the regions of Marche and Umbria, encompassing the provinces of Macerata, Fermo, Ascoli Piceno and Perugia Perugia (, ...

. Rain and meltwater accumulate on the surface of the plain, which is made of largely impermeable sediments. The greenish ditches drain the water towards openings called

ponor A ponor is a natural opening where surface water enters into underground passages; they may be found in karst landscapes where the geology and the geomorphology is typically dominated by porous limestone rock. Ponors can drain stream or lake wate ...

s, which are part of the

karst Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...

ic underground drainage system. If the karst drainage is blocked for any reason, water backs up and turns the plain into a temporary lake.

History

The village dates from the 13th century or slightly earlier, but the area had previously been settled by the

Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

. In 2016 and 2017 Central Italy seismic events hit Castelluccio hard, destroying roughly 60% of the town, forcing the evacuation of all inhabitants and the total closure of all road and/or offroad access. Certain roads were scheduled for partial reopening in July 2017. As of 2018, the village can be reached again, and temporary buildings have been erected housing bars and shops.

Economy

The fields on the slopes below the village are cultivated; the town is known for its excellent lentils. In springtime the nature of the fields is in lavish color, with red poppies and yellow rapeseed. The plains grassland is ideal for sheep

husbandry Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised for meat, fibre, milk, or other products. It includes day-to-day care, selective breeding, and the raising of livestock. Husbandry has a long history, starti ...

. There is a lot of ski- and trekking tourism.

Notes and references

External links

Lentils and Foraging in Castelluccio

Photo gallery made by a UNESCO photographer

Via SSH {{authority control Frazioni of the Province of Perugia Hilltowns in Umbria Apennine Mountains Norcia