Italy’s Abandoned Churches ~ What Happens to Them?

Small abandoned Church in Tuscany

I wrote this post nearly four years ago but thought it interesting enough to share again…

While driving through Tuscany I couldn’t help but pull off the road to snap a shot of this old abandoned church. It was small but very ornate. As I surveyed the facade, I wondered how many abandoned churches there were in Italy. As the stronghold of the Catholic Church, it’s not surprising that Italy has thousands of churches. I read recently that it is estimated at about 26,000, but I’m unsure about the reliability of the source.