Italy › Sicily › Gibellina Vecchia
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Abandoned village · 1968
Gibellina Vecchia
The 1968 Belice earthquake razed Gibellina to the ground, and it was rebuilt twenty kilometres away. Over its rubble Alberto Burri laid the Grande Cretto: a huge cast of white concrete that follows the old streets, where you walk as if in a maze.
Visiting
Before you go
- Getting there
- On the provincial road between Gibellina and Salaparuta (Trapani), with parking on site.
- The visit
- An hour to walk the cracks of the Cretto; half a day with new Gibellina and its works of art.
- When to go
- At sunset, when the white takes on colour. Avoid the middle of the day in summer: there is no shade.
- Good to know
- Free entry, no opening hours. Comune phone: +39 0924 985111.
Practical information gathered from official and local sources on 9 October 2026. Opening times and conditions change: always check before you go.
Plan your visit
Where to stay nearby
Affiliate links: if you book from here the site earns a small commission, at no extra cost to you. That is how Borghi Fantasma stays free.
History
The town was destroyed by the 1968 Belice earthquake and rebuilt about twenty kilometres away. On the rubble the artist Alberto Burri created the Grande Cretto, a cast of white concrete that follows the streets of the old centre.
Have you been there?
What was access like?
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Nearby
Other abandoned villages nearby
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