Features and conservation issues of stone houses in the inland Abruzzo

Some small historical towns in central Italy today show many problems regarding their conservation. These are connected to the depopulation due to changes in the economy and lifestyles particularly during the second half of the 20th century. The illustration of the main building characters of these houses in some small towns of Abruzzo (such as Castelvecchio Calvisio, San Benedetto in Perillis, and Fossa adjacent to L’Aquila), especially in the mountain area, allows us better to understand the nature of this architecture. However, we must consider also the way in which these residential units have been joined together, and how they have been transformed over time. After this analysis, we are able to focus on the main problems of conservation and use, and to understand if and how such small towns may be seen in terms of sustainability, maintaining their own characters and giving them a new possibility of life.