Trying to catch up with Priority7s reports! (At least he's being kind and putting up places I've never seen)
This is the former “Ipost”. It was commissioned by Ipost (the postal social security institution of Italy ) as a colony, hotel and holiday centre for the children of postal administration employees. It was inaugurated in 1975 and operated until 1997, also offering job opportunities for the inhabitants of the surroundings. It was built by "Pessina constructions" with an estimated cost of over 13 million euros today.
Historical image
In the 23 years it was active it hosted around 18,000 children of postal and telegraph workers and giving work to around sixty people. Later, a hotel was added to the colony, which however did not achieve equal success and went bankrupt in 1992.
Then in 1997 they walked out of the remaining building. Forever.
It was in operation until 1997. Then the closure led to years of abandonment until the transfer of ownership to the government, in 2010. Which called a tender to refurbish the buildings, without results: all blocked by appeals between competitors.
The Court of Auditors judged the management costs to be very high. The complex thus ceased activity and ended up at auction. The valuation of the hotel, almost 2 and a half billion old lire, discouraged possible buyers and the auction went deserted. Instead, the Colony was fenced off.
The entire area of the complex (13,000 m2) consists of two large reinforced concrete buildings which are deteriorating significantly and pose a danger, to the extent that the entire surrounding area has been secured to the non-explorer at least.
Then in 2004 a second attempt was made, reducing the price tag to 613 thousand euros without changing the outcome. Seems mental now, that wouldn’t even but a small detached house in my street. (Although it was estimated to have needed 8.4m euros worth of work…)
Quotes I have found in local newspapers from residents include:
“completely out of context”
“ugliness that has nothing to do with our territory”
“Thee long period of abandonment has further made it indigestible”
Shame. I like it.
One aspect of this whole surreal story that is perhaps less known. Originally the design of the two megastructures was conceived for a seaside location; in other words, it must have been one of the many summer camps that are still present here and there on the beaches of the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic seas. They too all abandoned and on my ‘to-do list.
I love these wacky windows. They look kooky, but I imagine they would give views to adults, wheelchair users, and children indiscriminately:
I also found an old photo where you can see these windows in the background:
Then, when the idea of a seaside destination faded, this small mountain village was chosen and the project, now ready, was carried out up here, due to an entirely Italian anomaly.
Anyone who pauses to observe the architectural peculiarities of the two buildings realizes that they have nothing to do with the mountain. But I love the juxtaposition. Stood on the roof gazing across the olive draped mountain-scape I feel somewhat of a “In the gutter looking up at the stars” feeling.
This is the former “Ipost”. It was commissioned by Ipost (the postal social security institution of Italy ) as a colony, hotel and holiday centre for the children of postal administration employees. It was inaugurated in 1975 and operated until 1997, also offering job opportunities for the inhabitants of the surroundings. It was built by "Pessina constructions" with an estimated cost of over 13 million euros today.
Historical image
In the 23 years it was active it hosted around 18,000 children of postal and telegraph workers and giving work to around sixty people. Later, a hotel was added to the colony, which however did not achieve equal success and went bankrupt in 1992.
Then in 1997 they walked out of the remaining building. Forever.
It was in operation until 1997. Then the closure led to years of abandonment until the transfer of ownership to the government, in 2010. Which called a tender to refurbish the buildings, without results: all blocked by appeals between competitors.
The Court of Auditors judged the management costs to be very high. The complex thus ceased activity and ended up at auction. The valuation of the hotel, almost 2 and a half billion old lire, discouraged possible buyers and the auction went deserted. Instead, the Colony was fenced off.
The entire area of the complex (13,000 m2) consists of two large reinforced concrete buildings which are deteriorating significantly and pose a danger, to the extent that the entire surrounding area has been secured to the non-explorer at least.
Then in 2004 a second attempt was made, reducing the price tag to 613 thousand euros without changing the outcome. Seems mental now, that wouldn’t even but a small detached house in my street. (Although it was estimated to have needed 8.4m euros worth of work…)
Quotes I have found in local newspapers from residents include:
“completely out of context”
“ugliness that has nothing to do with our territory”
“Thee long period of abandonment has further made it indigestible”
Shame. I like it.
One aspect of this whole surreal story that is perhaps less known. Originally the design of the two megastructures was conceived for a seaside location; in other words, it must have been one of the many summer camps that are still present here and there on the beaches of the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic seas. They too all abandoned and on my ‘to-do list.
I love these wacky windows. They look kooky, but I imagine they would give views to adults, wheelchair users, and children indiscriminately:
I also found an old photo where you can see these windows in the background:
Then, when the idea of a seaside destination faded, this small mountain village was chosen and the project, now ready, was carried out up here, due to an entirely Italian anomaly.
Anyone who pauses to observe the architectural peculiarities of the two buildings realizes that they have nothing to do with the mountain. But I love the juxtaposition. Stood on the roof gazing across the olive draped mountain-scape I feel somewhat of a “In the gutter looking up at the stars” feeling.
Last edited:
JK
