49 Abandoned Landmarks That Are More Beautiful Than Ever

33. Balestrino, Italy

Perched on a Ligurian hillside, the old village of Balestrino is a captivating medieval ghost town, its stone houses and castle ruins silently overlooking the valley. While the exact reasons for its final abandonment in the 1950s are debated (often attributed to seismic instability), the result is an eerily preserved settlement. Wandering its overgrown, empty streets feels like stepping back centuries. The crumbling church tower and the imposing, yet decaying, Del Carretto castle dominate the skyline, creating a poignant atmosphere of mystery and forgotten history, a photographer's dream of rustic desolation.