Cantabria ghost town for sale

IT has been 20 years since the ancient Cantabria town of Porcieda was lived in, and a property agency is now giving the abandoned village a second chance.
The 1000-year-old town streets were crowed for centuries, a bustling stop on the Camino de Santiago as pilgrims wound their way along the Leon route.
But now only a dozen houses are still on their feet, although in ruins. The view is completed by a fountain and a small, baroque chapel.
Porcieda is a ghost town lost somewhere in the national park of the Picos de Europa, although its future now seems brighter as luxury property agency Mikeli has put out the whole village on the market.
The 3,052-square-metre town is to be sold for a negotiable price of €1.5 million. The goal of the company is to have a buyer who commits to carrying out a comprehensive restoration project, to then resell the 45 rural apartments resulting from the improvement work.
These future homes will be built in the same spaces that 10 ruined buildings currently occupy, with surfaces that will range from 48 to 175 square metres.
“The project must involve restoration, not just any kind of construction,” said a representative from the agency. “The buyer will have to respect the exterior appearance of all buildings and use materials traditionally used in the surrounding areas, such as stone and wood, although they will be free to create any space inside.”
The town, belonging to the municipality of Vega de Liebana, was first documented in the year 961. The remains of a monastery constructed before the 15th century is a landmark of the historic importance of this town, located 95 kilometres from Santander.
After the Spanish Civil War, Porcieda became a refuge for anti-Franco brigades who fought against the dictatorship under cover. One of the options suggested by Mikeli is to turn the town into a theme park to honour said guerrilla soldiers.
During the 60s, Porcieda became famous amongst paranormal events enthusiasts after several witnesses claimed to have spotted a UFO.
Another suggestion made from the agency has been to create a brand new building which would be turned into a hotel with views to the Picos de Europa Mountains.
The buyer will also have to give a complete makeover to streets and pave them.
Only time will tell if Porcieda becomes a small residential oasis or remains buried in history.