When everything is transient, so is wealth - and money turns out to be nothing more than an illusion. Swallowed by a green thicket after decades of neglect, this Italian millionaire's mansion shows how everything eventually turns into dust. Despite all the luxury, its former inhabitants did not have a carefree life. Our team went here on a search for clues. We explored the overgrown property to find hidden structures on the large compound, and to learn more about the life and the disappearance of the rich residents. In this video, we will venture inside not just one but two formerly grand villas - to prove the point that everything is transient, even the greatest fortune. Join us, and find out what remains when people are gone! Hey guys and welcome to todays video. We've got some great news we want to share with you so make sure to watch all the way until the end. But first, enjoy the show. We have entered a green oasis amidst the mess. The loud and chaotic city that was just surrounding us is now shut out. What remains is a peaceful idyl. We are visitors in a space excluded from society - a parallel world where nature overpowers people's creations and not the other way around. Dating back to the 18th century, this palazzo was constructed, with a courtyard overlooked by various apartments. On the ceiling of the stone entrance portal, a noble family's coat of arms is emblazoned. But the former glory is crumbling, and today's descendants of the aristocrats can not bear the restoration costs anymore. It took years of neglect to create this haven. As the roof crumbles and nature fills deserted rooms with new life, bloodstained syringes can also be found on the floor. It is not only us finding refuge here. This place is full of needles. I think it’s used quite frequently by homeless people and drug addicts who come here and get their fix. Must be because the access is so easy and we’re in the middle of a bigger city. We know lots of stories of other urban explorers who come across those people, sometimes even their dead bodies. Once, this building ensemble was considered the architectural jewel of this borough. But over the past five decades, it has become the city's eyesore - not in our opinion though. To us, it has only become more mesmerizing. For some, it may be nothing more than a dump, but for those who have lost their way in modern society, it is a sanctuary. If you have watched the previous episode, you know we almost adopted a new animal team member. And well, this almost happened again. It was not the first time we found wildlife in need of help. So far, we have encountered several strays or injured animals. We would like to be better prepared for the next time. Do you have tips on what to do in such a situation? After a few hours of driving, we have arrived at today's main spot. Situated in a Central Italian town, and only a few hundred meters from the sea, we have pinpointed this former millionaire's mansion. The property is huge - with more than 25,000 square meters - but it has been badly neglected, and is totally overgrown. Dating back to the 19th century, this used to be one of the most beautiful and historical villas in the region. Let us explore and find out what is left today. The huge compound with its lush vegetation makes it difficult to be seen from outside. This was clearly intentional, to offer high levels of privacy. Now, with the plants growing wild, we are even more isolated. Since we are trespassing, we clearly benefit from not being able to be spotted on the property. We made it to the central building - and it seems easy to access. The front door stands wide open. Our goal is to get an overview of this place first. We frequently get asked why residential houses just get abandoned, often with everything left behind. Usually, it is because of the owner's demise. This also might have been the case here. Let us look around for more clues. This is just bird banger ammo, luckily, to scare off wildlife. All the pictures shown in this video were taken by our man Tobi. See more urbex photography like this on his Instagram page @tobi_urbex. Check out this belt. It's called a whippet. A whippet? That's what you call this type of dog in Australia. They're racing dogs. Do you think this will fit? No. Yes, for sure. Let me see you try this on. Well, okay. It doesn’t fit me but... - It’s for a very small person. This was at least lying next to all the other belts, which are all extremely extravagant. I'm pretty sure that the homeless guy who moved in here and who has left all of those full syringes next to the nightstand has.. ...you know, taken some creative inspiration from the place. I doubt that this is an original artwork. Especially 'cause it's on the back of some old bills or something that the owners have left behind. As we found out only after our exploration, this villa once belonged to the biggest businessman in the area. But this was not just one of his many real estate holdings - this was actually his home. But as it seems, he ruined himself through speculation. It took decades to pay off the enormous debts. 20 years ago, the elderly couple eventually left their home - either it was sold to the bank just like all their other properties, or they passed away. Since then, this mansion has been lying idle. Whatever was of value or easy to remove, was looted in the years after. The couple seems to have been without children. Or at least we did not find any evidence of them having kids. So, it appears this is all the legacy they left behind. But this is just our theory. What do you think? What is it that really matters in the end? Eventually, everything falls apart and decays, just to become part of something new. You can have all the splendor you have ever dreamt about and own all the things you ever wanted - but when your time comes, you can’t take anything with you. In only a few decades, probably everything we have shown you in this video will be gone and replaced. The truth is that everything is transient - it all starts with accepting that. If you still haven't seen enough of Italy's abandoned mansions, we have a bonus episode waiting for you. As part of the third season of Abandoned Italy, we have just posted a video exclusively available for our supporters on Patreon. On the first day of our Italy trip, we explored a true architectural anomaly, with 350 years of history. That new episode is 10 minutes long. And apart from that, we also have another bonus video on Patreon. In this English interview, you have the chance to get to know us better. We describe our journey and tell how it was possible to make this our profession. We hope to share some valuable tips in this conversation with all the people who want to follow their dreams but don't know how to do it. The 90-minutes long interview can also be listened to for free on Spotify or any other podcast platform. You can find all the info down below in the video description. If you think this content is worth your money, it would be great if you would check out our Patreon! Your funding helps us to stay independent and allows us the flexibility to create more videos like this. However, if you do not have the means, no worries! We will bring content your way nevertheless. As always stay curious, and keep exploring!
