Italy’s cultural and landscape heritage is very complex, characterized for the most part by historical centres of large cities, small towns and ancient villages, where the original structures are not challenged by times. In these settlements, memories of local identity and culture coexist, representing a real priceless resource for the territory. However most of them, e.g. the rural villages, have been completely abandoned, due to a housing problem, a need to improve the standard of living and transportation or due to natural disasters (earthquakes and landslides). So the depopulation of wide territorial areas has occurred and affected especially the South of Italy. The article aims to rediscover and analyse the uniqueness of some of the most significant villages of Irpinia, referring particularly to the Avellino’s territory: Carbonara (well known as Aquilonia Vecchia), Melito Irpino, Conza della Campania, Senerchia, in order to retrace unique strengths that can turn forgotten places into an economic and territorial development
