Selvapiana Abandoned Village

Selvapiana is an abandoned stone village on the slope above Ludiano, in the Val di Blenio in Ticino. People lived and farmed here from the late Middle Ages until the end of the nineteenth century. What remains is roofless houses, dry stone walls and the Oratorio di San Giacomo (which is still looked after). The lanes between the buildings are narrow and overgrown, with heavy stone slabs overhead. Getting low and shooting through one of those openings toward the valley creates unique framing opportunities. The stone slab roofs have collapsed on most of the houses, which opens the interiors up to the sky and lets light filter in. Since the slope faces east, the light arrives early and most of the village is in the shade by mid afternoon. Autumn is the season to aim for, when the chestnut woods around the village turn amazing colours. You walk up from Ludiano on the old mule track. It is steep but the views and village are definitely worth the effort of the hike. There is a feast day at the oratory each July that brings guided visits and a crowd. Most of the time you will have the village all to yourself. (Ludiano, Ticino, Switzerland)