Buffa di Perrero: World’s Loneliest House

Located in the Dolomites Mountains, Buffa di Perrero is known as the world’s loneliest house. The house really deserves this title as it is located on a mountain and 2800 meters above sea level. This also makes the house one of the highest houses in the world as well.

Buffa di Perrero has a mysterious aura around it, to say the least. An abandoned house on a windy and cold mountaintop with nobody inside is practically the beginning of a low-budget horror movie. While of course, this is just an exaggeration, due to this aspect of the house it became one of the most popular tourist attractions in Italy.

This abandoned house has a history that goes back to the beginning of World War 1. In summary, Italy entered WW1 as it wanted to annex the Italian-speaking parts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The battles between these countries were mainly fought along the Alps and the Dolomites as well. The harsh terrain of the Italian Front was quite challenging for both sides.

Due to its location, the series of battles on this front was also known as the White War which Italy won in 1918. During the war, Italian soldiers came up with a solution in order to rest, and hide themselves and their supplies from the Austrians.

This solution was to build a secret shack in the mountains hence the story of Buffa di Perrero. In order to hide the shack, the Italian soldiers made it so that the shack was only accessible through rope ladders and carts. In a way, the Italians turned the harsh terrain of the Dolomites into an advantage.

Today, Buffa di Perrero remains abandoned. However, there are tours that take hikers to the house. Despite being a dangerous journey, the view of the Dolomites is a sight to behold.

Since the road to the house is quite dangerous, a touring company in Italy built an exact replica of the house at a lower altitude. It also serves as a motel and can house up to 12 people at once. Just like the original, the newer replica has become a tourist favorite as well.

If people do wish to visit the original house, there is really nothing inside to see. The inside of the house is pretty much in ruins but the house itself remains a peculiar site. Buffa di Perrero is almost a history lesson come alive, its broken walls telling the stories of WW1.