The text is part of a series – a holiday campaign of the Interia lifestyle editorial team, in which every week we advise on how to organize an inexpensive holiday in popular places. We will take you to the Baltic Sea, to the mountains, to Croatia, Greece, Turkey and many other places. We will offer attractions for active people and those who like to laze around. And all this without tightening our belts. Stay with us all summer long!
Where did the legend of the “cursed” village come from?
is a small town located in , which today has only a few thousand inhabitants. It has been featured in local stories for decades. To such an extent that many inhabitants of the region for years avoided even saying the name of the town, believing that it could bring misfortune to them.
So why is Colobraro considered the unluckiest place in Italy? There are several reasons. Let’s start with the fact that the name Colobraro comes from the Latin In European culture, this animal is commonly associated with evil and deceit. However, it was not the etymology that caused Colobraro to be considered a cursed place.
According to the most famous one, it all started in the first half of the 20th century during a court hearing. One lawyer, wanting to convince everyone that he was right, said:
“If I’m lying, let this lamp fall to the ground!”
A moment later, the chandelier hanging in the courtroom actually fell to the floor. For some it was just a coincidence, for others it was a sign that an inexplicable force was hanging over Colobraro. From that moment on, the town began to grow with new ones
Witches, evil eye and dark stories
Over the following decades, the legend only grew stronger. Residents reported strange phenomena that were attributed to a curse over the village.
The motif of witches and people with supernatural abilities also often appears in local folklore. According to ancient beliefs, some women were supposed to be able to throw the so-called Such beliefs were widely spread over the centuries in many parts of southern Italy.
Of course, the town’s bad reputation probably has more down-to-earth reasons. Basilicata had long been a part of the city, and small, isolated communities were much more likely to explain unexplained events to superstition than to rational explanations.
This does not mean, however, that the inhabitants completely distance themselves from the legend. On the contrary – today it has become part of the local identity.
A curse that… attracts tourists
Not all residents approach this fame in the same way. The older generation often recalls that for many years the town’s bad reputation was the cause of unpleasant jokes and prejudices. In turn, younger people see it as an opportunity to interest tourists in a region that is still less known than neighboring Puglia or Campania.
So what was once a source of shame, over time began to attract visitors. Every summer, Colobraro organizes the “COLOBRARO SOGNO & MAGIA” project, during which . Actors, musicians and guides lead tourists through subsequent corners of the town, recreating the most famous local legends.
What is worth seeing in Colobraro and the surrounding area?
Although it was the legend that made Colobraro famous, the town itself is an interesting stop when traveling around Basilicata. A walk around the historic center leads through stone streets and small squares with views of the region’s hilly landscape.
It is worth considering Colobraro as one of the points of a larger route. Not much further there are also two picturesque towns located among the Lucan Dolomites, considered to be one of the most unique places in all of southern Italy.
Thanks to this, in one or two days we can see the famous Matera, medieval towns hanging on the rocks, and Colobraro. This is a good opportunity to get to know each other
