Brancaleone Vetus, Urban Archaeological Park
Overlooking the Ionian Sea, this small ghost town tells a story spanning centuries
Where
Brancaleone Vetus, Ancient Sperlonga
The ruins of Brancaleone Vetus, ancient Sperlonga (or Sperlinga), are a history book in themselves! There are the remains of a village founded in the Middle Ages, tenaciously rebuilt after the 1783 earthquake and again after the earthquakes of the early 20th century, but ultimately abandoned following a flood in the post-World War II era. There are the ruins of a castle, a witness to centuries of feudal rule. Even older are the “cave churches” of the Greek-Byzantine monks fleeing the East and the 28 silos for storing grain and water. There is even an Iron Age burial site. And it is right here, in these pages of the past nestled in the greenery, that wonder resides.
Why it’s special: the Urban Archaeological Park
Today , the ghost town of Brancaleone, at 300 meters above sea level and just a few kilometers from the sea, has become the “Urban Archaeological Park,” with trails winding through the ruins clustered around the two churches and offering unforgettable panoramic views of the Valle degli Armeni and the Ionian coast; along the so-called “Monks’ Path , ” you’ll also find the Grotta della Madonna del Riposo, featuring frescoes from the 17th and 18th centuries. One of the churches, the Church of the Annunciation, now serves as a documentation center.
Not to be missed: the Tree of Life
Near the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows lies the entrance to a Byzantine cave church steeped in mysticism and mystery. Carved into the tuff, it features a central stone pillar resembling a tree trunk— the Tree of Life, as it is called. This “tree,” local expert Sebastiano Stranges explains , represents Christ and the Resurrection: its roots in the earthly world, its arms reaching toward the divine. The curved ceiling evokes the celestial vault. The graffiti on the altar is clearly of Armenian origin, Stranges explains: a processional cross and a stylized peacock at the foot of the cross. Indeed, entering the bowels of the earth and finding an almost celestial dimension in the silence and coolness is an experience that touches us deeply.
Fun fact: the cats
Starting in 2026, anyone wandering the streets of the ghost town will discover unexpected presences: cats, geckos, and other small animals made of wrought iron, which will capture the attention of the little ones.
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