The pristine medieval village Civita di Bagnoregio has paradoxically found a boom in tourism due to its slow, steady collapse down a jagged cliff of volcanic rock. Its nickname is Il Paese che Muore because it has actually been collapsing for centuries down wooded hills and canyons.

Though seriously threatened by erosion, Civita has been revived by flocks of visitors intrigued by its fragile beauty. “Last year 640,000 tourists visited, up from 42,000 six years ago, and 20 percent of them were Japanese,” says Francesco Bigiotti, mayor of the municipality of Bagnoregio, which officially includes and governs the hamlet of Civita. “We won’t let it die because we must save this marvel,” he says.