The bell tower in Lake Reschen in South Tyrol, Italy
© Scacciamosche/Getty Image
Italy's submerged village. The submerged village of South Tyrol
A 14th-century church tower peeking above the water offers a clue to the past here at Lake Reschen in South Tyrol, Italy’s northernmost province. Until the mid-20th century, this site in the Italian Alps was home to the village of Graun, which included 163 homes. But in 1939 an electric company announced plans to build a dam and an artificial lake here, which would submerge Graun and part of the town of Reschen. Despite public outcry and delays due to World War Two, the towns were eventually submerged in 1950 (with everyone safely removed, of course).
These days, the remaining church steeple draws tourists, especially in the winter, when the lake is frozen over and visitors can walk across it. Some say you can still hear the bell toll on the coldest nights.
Related Images
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
Mua Caves in the Ninh Bình province of Vietnam
Old Town of Tallinn, Estonia
Hope Valley in the Peak District
At the top of Mount Fuji in Japan. Happy New Year!
For Waitangi Day, the Pancake Rocks on New Zealand’s South Island
Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, China
The Glenfinnan Viaduct in Scotland, made famous by the Hogwarts Express in Harry Potter
Bing Today Images
