Discover Abandoned Places and the Stories They Leave Behind
-
Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa: The Ruins of Roman Dacia’s Capital
In a broad basin surrounded by the mountains of western Romania, the remains of a Roman city stretch across fields near the modern village of Sarmizegetusa. This is Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa, the first major Roman city established in the newly conquered province of Dacia. Founded under Emperor Trajan at the beginning of the 2nd century…
-
Doclea: The Ancient Roman Ruins of Montenegro
Just a few kilometres from modern Podgorica, the remains of an ancient city lie on a broad plateau surrounded by rivers. This is Doclea, also known as Duklja, one of the most important archaeological sites in Montenegro. The ruins preserve the remains of a Roman urban centre that developed in the 1st century AD and…
-
Apollonia: The Ancient City Ruins of Albania
On a hill overlooking the fertile plains of southwestern Albania, the ruins of Apollonia preserve the remains of one of the most important ancient cities of the Adriatic world. Founded as a Greek colony in the territory of the Taulantii, Apollonia developed into a major political, economic and cultural centre. Over the centuries, the city…
-
Bobovac: The Abandoned Medieval Royal Town of Bosnia
Deep in the hills of central Bosnia and Herzegovina, the ruins of Bobovac mark the remains of one of the most important fortified settlements of medieval Bosnia. Unlike an ordinary medieval village, Bobovac served as a royal centre. Bosnian rulers used the fortified town during the 14th and 15th centuries, and its strategic position made…
-
Chamla: Bulgaria’s Abandoned Mountain Village
High in Bulgaria’s Rhodope Mountains, near the village of Mugla and the Trigrad Gorge, lies Chamla, a settlement that once had a small but permanent mountain community. Today, no permanent residents live there. Chamla stands at roughly 1,625 metres above sea level and remains administratively associated with the municipality of Smolyan. Its remote position, severe…
-
Dvigrad: The Abandoned Medieval Town of Croatia
Hidden among the hills of central Istria, near the town of Kanfanar, the ruins of Dvigrad preserve the remains of a medieval settlement that was once an important fortified town. Today, its empty streets, stone houses, defensive walls and towers form one of the most striking abandoned urban landscapes in Croatia. Dvigrad is not a…
-
Old Tragjasi : Albania’s Abandoned Stone Village
High above Orikum, in southwestern Albania, the ruins of Tragjasi i Vjetër spread across a hillside surrounded by greenery. Once a substantial mountain village, it is now a landscape of abandoned stone houses, ruined walls, old paths and fragments of the community that lived here for centuries. Tragjasi i Vjetër is one of Albania’s most…
-
Dojnica: The Abandoned Village Near Prizren
Dojnica, also known as Dojničë, is an abandoned village in the Municipality of Prizren, Kosovo. Today, the settlement has no permanent inhabitants, but its history stretches back centuries. Historical records place the village within the wider Prizren region, while population figures show a long decline from more than 200 residents in the middle of the…
-
Gornji Šestani: The Abandoned Villages of Montenegro
Above the western side of Lake Skadar in southern Montenegro lies a remote mountain region known as Gornji Šestani. Unlike a typical abandoned village, Gornji Šestani is a wider historical area containing several villages and hamlets. Among them are Dedići, Lukići, Gurza and Marvučići, along with other settlements that have experienced severe depopulation. Today, several…