The remains of an Italian village that were flooded in 1950 to boost hydroelectric production made their first appearance in 71 years.
Authorities flooded Coron, a village in the Alps in the northeast of Italy’s South Tyrol region, into a reservoir in 1950, despite the objections of hundreds of its residents.
Curon come non si era mai vista!
Per motivi di manutenzione, hanno semi prosciugato il lago di Resia e sono riaffiorati i resti dell’antico paese ci Curon!❤️
Una strana sensazione camminare sulle macerie delle case…#curon #lagodiresia #reschensee #altoadige #südtirol pic.twitter.com/VtZGdSPHoU
— Louise DM 🇮🇹🐬🍷 (@AvventuraL) May 16, 2021
Coron was located at the confluence of two natural lakes in the Venusta Valley region, and the authorities combined the two lakes to create a power generation site, which caused the village to be covered with Lake Resia in the process.
It is noteworthy that the power plant in the Venusta Valley region generates 250 million kilowatt hours per year for the industries in the region.
Resia e Curon, l’anima dei borghi sommersi: i lavori prosciugano il lago. Quelle rovine… https://t.co/F3tjAlOY92 pic.twitter.com/nicARa515g
— Corriere della Sera (@Corriere) May 16, 2021
About 163 houses were lost at the bottom of the lake, and only the 14th-century steeple of the church remained visible on the surface of the water, creating a stunning landmark that has become a tourist attraction.
Now, decades later, repairs at the site have seen water drainage, as the reservoir has been temporarily drained to reveal the remains of the fearsome village of Coron, which borders Austria and Switzerland.
Dopo 71 anni dalla costruzione della diga che ha dato luce al lago di Resia, sono riaffiorati i resti dell’antico villaggio di Curon.
Che strana sensazione camminare in mezzo alle macerie delle case…
Curon così non si era mai vista❤️#curon #lagodiresia #reschensee pic.twitter.com/1XcfsPgEYc
— Louise DM 🇮🇹🐬🍷 (@AvventuraL) May 18, 2021
The photos show tourists and locals once again walking through the ruins of the stairs, walls and cellars of the old settlement.
About 400 people fled the village in 1950, to settle nearby, forming a new village. The remaining 600 are believed to have moved further.
Mais ils sont malades?? Ils 'ont pas vu la série ou quoi…??!? #curon https://t.co/6paeAyMa8M
— ✒ Marina en V.O. ☕🍿 (@Marina__vo) May 18, 2021
It is reported that local residents were initially told that the lake would be only five meters deep, leaving some homes above the water.
However, a sign posted in the village in 1940, written in the Italian language that the locals do not speak, is said to renege on this promise, informing residents that the lake would be 22 meters deep instead.
South Tyrol, which was part of Austria, was annexed to Italy in the aftermath of World War I and the German language is still the first language for many residents in the region.
Source: Daily Mail