Abandoned House in Bomba

Many villages in Abruzzo have abandoned and seemingly forgotten houses. Bomba is typical, with most streets having a smattering of buildings in various states of disrepair and ruin, interspersed with homes that are cared for and obviously loved.

Of course, most ruined and abandoned buildings are entirely empty, or limited to 2 or 3 broken large pieces of furniture.

One March day, we noticed a door ajar, and decided an explore, in our customary manner. This is what we found - a home with no sign of anyone being there since the late 1980s. Old television and fridge and scales, light fittings,, and cupboards full of crockery. But dating it was easy. The table was covered in letters and receipts, papers and magazines, most dated 1987 or so.

The kitchen still had pots and pans, and the shelves upstairs still had shoes and clothes. The bed had a bedspread, but is now ruined due to the gaping hole in the roof and years of rain and weathering.

We have our theory - when the owner passed, a relative has come and gone through all the papers, possibly searching for the will. Intending to return to take care of the property, they locked and left and for whatever reason, never came back.