Previously on Broken Window Theory: During our Italy road trip in July 2018 we discovered two enormous concrete blocks which simply didn’t fit in the hilly countryside of Tuscany. What seemed rather ugly and plain from the outside, was actually a paradise for urban explorers from the inside. In this old summer camp with extensive hospital ward everything was left behind in the past. Today mold and moss are conquering the endless halls and rooms of this enormous structure. Since we love capturing decay, this place was just perfect for us. So, how can this site be topped? Well, the answer to that is awaiting you in today’s episode. This derelict palace is our destination for today's exploration. It looks like this place would have been falling apart for ages already. But actually, this building complex was still inhabited in 2005. Together with The Proper People we are searching for a way inside. According to our information there should be an entrance on this side of the mansion. But there's a problem: "Is this right?"
- "Yeah." Everywhere there is dense undergrowth with stinging nettles. "It's everywhere!" "No, this is all of it. All these plants." "My legs are fucking on fire right now!" "Why why do plants need to sting you?" No, this isn't a pleasant experience so far. But we know that this old manor-house will be worth all the trouble. And as it seems, we just found a way inside. "Let's go." "It's probably the cellar, which is pretty awesome. And ehm there's a stairway which goes up, so we should be fine" This fast growing vegetation in Italy is like a natural protective shield that's keeping away intruders from abandoned buildings. However, it didn't work with us because now we're standing in the cellar. We're glad to have found a way in, because we know this site will be one of the big highlights of our road trip. Already down here we find untouched relics from the past which were simply left behind. "Long way down." "I wonder how far it goes down." Although our footage so far is looking like this building is completely remote, it's actually located in the middle of a small village somewhere in the North of Italy. The property, on which the palace is standing, was originally a present to a group of monks. But real quick the whole area got under control of a powerful aristocratic family. It was them who constructed this mansion between the 14th and 15th century. But to be honest, this resembles more of a castle than a traditional villa. Meanwhile we have found a way upstairs. At first, we're entering the kitchen in which apparently everything was left behind when the property was abandoned. What we love the most about places like this is the vintage charm you can barely find anywhere else today. "This has to be... oregano." "Watch this!" We were surprised about discovering a fridge of General Motors from the 1960s. On the inside: Pots and pans everywhere. And also the remaining part of the kitchen is like a well-preserved time capsule. "Some of them are shrunken already." "Michael do you wanna eat one of those olives?" "Let's see what this smells like." "Who wants to waft?" "I did a little waft and that was very... it smell like I put my nose right in there." "What kind of music can you make with four keys Michael?" Over the course of the centuries this building complex remained in possession of the famous noble family. Generations of warlords spent many years of their lives here using the place as a hunting lodge. In the 17th century the castle-like villa was even expanded. The last resident however was an engineer and artist who lived here with his wife and several children. Today this can only be guessed but a few years ago there were way more pictures, art books and canvas stands. Unfortunately, thieves are stealing from the dead here consistently. Even a valuable telescope was already taken away. And what didn’t get swiped or destroyed, falls victim to decay. A couple of years ago a roof collapsed and buried a work room under it. It’s a good thing that other photographers were able to capture these chambers for posterity. But the whole structure is close to breaking down. The prominent tower is only held together by pillars and tension belts. Here in the former gatehouse the old chapel is located. Also this one is already in such a bad condition that it might cave in soon. Probably along with the whole tower. After the artist passed and the children moved away, the old lady was living all by herself in the big palace. She reached an age of far beyond 100 years before she eventually died. Why the heirs weren't dealing with the numerous left-behind items is a mystery to us. Next to religious symbols of all kinds and the vintage furniture we already showed you, we made several other odd discoveries. Like this for example. Help us out here: Is this shotgun ammunition? This however, is something we're more familiar with: An old model railway. Today this impressive piece of architecture is left to rot. Although this 600-year-old palace is featuring an impressive history, there are no plans for saving the site. Due to the bad shape of the structure, any kind of re-use is highly unlikely. And so, nature is reclaiming the place more and more. During our exploration we were discovering plenty of creatures which were retrieving in these old ruins. The Proper People have even filmed a scorpion as you can see on this footage. Humankind however isn't interested in this compound anymore. For us personally this palace is so impressive that it already appears unreal. We're always surprised about the hidden and almost untouched time capsules we're able to discover on our adventures. Even when this place might collapse soon, it will never vanish. Thanks to all the urban explorers who are documenting this unique structure before decay is taking all of it. Next time on Broken Window Theory: What a spectacular place to explore! This radar base in the mountains was a must-go for us. Since we even spent the night here, we were able to experience the site in two completely different moods. After that we were heading to the fourth and final asylum of our great road trip. But this one was different than the others, because here the revolution started that changed the face of the Italian health system forever. Guys, we're really grateful about all the support we're receiving from you lately! May it be on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, on Patreon or elsewhere. Your help and appreciation are huge motivators for us. Thanks for being a part of BWT! Until next time and keep exploring!
