San Pietro Infine, Italy

  

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A former village in Italy, about 50 miles (70 km) north of Naples (cf. Pompeii), which was destroyed in WWII battles in this part of Italy during the invasion by US troops. It's particularly known for the John Huston war documentary film "The Battle of San Pietro", regarded as one of the best war documentaries ever made. Probably for that very reason – for being so accurately but drastically realistic – it was initially banned by the US authorities.

 
Remarkably, the old village was left as it was after the war and a new town was built just down the hill. It is thus a rare relic. It had long been as good as forgotten and ignored, but has recently been developed and put on the tourist map. Now there's a museum and an admission fee is levied (5 EUR).

 
The main attraction is still simply the ghost town of the old ruins on the hillside, including the open church dome, gutted houses, and caves, in which the civilian inhabitants were hiding in fear during the battle.

 
In some ways it's the Italian equivalent to Oradour-sur-Glane in France – only without being such a popular national shrine as the latter. It is thus less touristy.

 
Location: a few miles to the east of the main A1 route through Italy (connecting Milan and Napels), some 80 miles (130 km) south-east of Rome and ca. 45 miles (75 km) north of Napels (cf. Pompeii).

  
Google maps locator:[41.4462,13.9674]