In this fairytale Italian village, there are more cats than people

Italy is full of magical places. In a tiny town embraced by medieval walls, for example, more cats live than the number of residents welcoming tourists. It's worth getting to know its story!

We are talking about Civita di Bagnoregio in Viterbo County, a small village about 130 kilometers from Rome, which is a popular tourist destination for several reasons. Some reports refer to it as the most perfect Italian village, not only because of its splendid location and history but also because of the Italian cats living there.

In the Italian village, the number of cats is higher than that of people

Civita is ruled by a cat colony numbering about 20 souls, while only 11 people live on the cliff. The village is separated from the nearest settlement (with which it once formed a single city; but more on that later) by a small canyon. So the visitors have to cross a 366-meter-long pedestrian bridge to get a closer look at the village’s romantic streets, historic buildings, and meet the famous cats. (The locals can occasionally use bicycles or motorcycles, but cars are prohibited on the bridge. Additionally, a tunnel carved into the rock serves as an emergency exit from the village.)

Civita is also called “the dying city” (“la città che muore”). A name it earned due to its geographical location and environmental conditions. The settlement is on poor ground: the soft tuff rock rests on an ever-changing layer of clay and sand. The unstable terrain has taken on its characteristic peak form due to erosion. However, large areas have sunk into the depths, so the remaining village area today is only a fraction of the former city. An earthquake in the 18th century created the aforementioned canyon, splitting the area in two. Thus, neighboring Bagnoregio was born, where almost the entire population has since moved.

You have to pay to see the village and its cats

Historical events, especially World War II, accelerated the process, so by 1990, the village was almost completely depopulated. However, Civita, although a dying city, as it is emphasized today, wants to live, and still stands today, relying on tourism for its survival. The aforementioned cats also play a role in this. Moreover, since 2013, visitors have had to pay an entrance fee to the village. Although the then-mayor, Francesco Bigiotti, seemed daring, the psychology worked. After all, many believe that what you have to pay for is certainly more valuable than what is free.