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Lost Village In Italy Re-Emerges From Lake For First Time In 70 Years

Lost Village In Italy Re-Emerges From Lake For First Time In 70 Years

Curon was submerged under water in 1950 when authorities decided to build a dam and merge two lakes to make way for hydroelectric power

Jess Hardiman

Jess Hardiman

A village in Italy has re-emerged for the first time in more than 70 years after the area was flooded for a hydroelectric plant.

Curon, in the province of South Tyrol, was once home to hundreds of residents, but was submerged under water in 1950 when authorities decided to build a dam and merge two lakes to make way for hydroelectric power.

Curon's population was displaced as more than 160 homes were submerged under water to become Lake Resia, which is now a tourist spot for hikers in the summer.

Splash News

During winter months, people are also able to walk across the frozen lake to get to the church spire in the middle, which is still visible as it juts out above the surface.

However, the remains of the lost village have now been uncovered for the first time in decades after Lake Resia was temporarily drained for repair works.

Instagram/Luisa Azzolini

Local resident Luisa Azzolini went down to film the scenes on 16 May, explaining that Curon had been flooded when a hydroelectric plant was built in 1950.

She said: "All the houses were destroyed, except for the church tower that is always visible."

In Azzolini's footage, we see locals walking around the remains of Curon's former homes, with some structures reportedly dating back to the 14th Century.

Instagram/Luisa Azzolini

She also shared various photos and video clips on social media, writing in one post: "After 71 years, Curon re-emerges from the waters of Lake Resia. A strange feeling to walk among the rubble of houses."

In another, Azzolini added: "At Lake Resia, the remains of the ancient houses of Curon have resurfaced, the town that existed before the construction of the dam in 1950. Normally it is completely submerged by the waters of Lake Resia, but at this time for maintenance reasons, they have semi-dried the lake. A piece of South Tyrolean history."

Splash News

The story of the lost village even inspired a Netflix series called Curon, which premiered last June.

A synopsis for the first season of the Italian supernatural drama reads: "Seventeen years after the tragic events that forced her to leave Curon, a woman returns home with her twin children. They soon discover that the town is cursed: when you hear the bells of the old church tower ringing, repressed feelings come back to the surface."

Featured Image Credit: Splash News

Topics: World News, News, Interesting, Italy