Like virtual elephants in the room, the empty houses of emigrants throughout the Balkans are testimony to belonging, (no) return, nostalgia, "success"... and inat!
Okay now I know why those fancy houses on the outskirts of Balkan cities are there. It confused me because of the lack of activity. I assumed they were minor oligarchs or something, but your essay cleared all that up!
And seeing nothing but elderly people in so many villages is sad. The houses seemed to crumble as soon as its final resident passed on.
I'm totally with you in initially thinking that these houses look like they belong to some local oligarch or mafia don. That seems to be the main aesthetic they're going for here, especially going by the imagery of wealth portrayed in Balkan video clips.
We live in Galicia, Spain. Which has suffered its own diaspora. The returnees at the beginning of the last century were called Indianos and they built elaborate houses in the style of South America with turrets and balconies and lots of showy tiles and colour. After a period of neglect ( understandable with Spains history) they are being loved again. There are events in towns which have a cluster of these houses, attendees dress up ( Spain needs only a small excuse to embrace fancy dress) and there are re- enactments and everyone has a lovely time. So perhaps your villages will have a future as a nostalgic tourist attraction. It's a strange world.
It's certainly a strange world, but well done for the Galicians for finding a way to bring life back to these houses. Interesting to note that the neighbourhoods in Huedin, Romania and Soroca, Moldova, where the most audacious of these houses can be found in southeastern Europe, are already becoming tourist attractions in themselves. Unfortunately, going by history, and the fact that it's just not economically viable to renovate and then maintain these excessively huge houses, it's more than likely that many of these mega-mansions will face the same fate as many of the once beautiful 19th century houses in too many villages all throughout Europe.
Such a great piece - travelling through the Balkans I've witnessed so many McMansions, often in very empty neighbourhoods. As you write, these are the ghost towns of the near future.
Nick, great insights as usual. In the village where I live here in northern Bosnia we have similar, but less ostentatious, properties, but the families do come back to enjoy what they built and live off their hard earned EU standard pensions in retirement.
You're lucky that the people in your village do return to live. It's not a great sign where most of the villages I'm connected to are now near ghost towns, and that's happened just in the past two decades.
I see that the Bosnian diaspora in particular will be splashing the money over the next month. On social media, many of the major singers in the region are advertising their full August schedule of concerts concentrating on Bosnian cities and towns.
Yes, the "concert season" has arrived. My musical tastes are somewhat eclectic to say the least but don't include too many local artists. Most of the artists and groups I admired as a young guy are increasingly departing this life.
Please tell me whether it's still the case like it was when I was in Bosnia in early August 2016 that everyone in Bosnia knows when the school summer holidays are about to end in Austria? I was warned countless times to avoid the roads then, and they were right. I recall it was even announced on the radio and TV hehe
If you're talking about long long queues at the border, then it is. My wife Tamara has found the online links to the border cameras so we know when NOT to travel.
Okay now I know why those fancy houses on the outskirts of Balkan cities are there. It confused me because of the lack of activity. I assumed they were minor oligarchs or something, but your essay cleared all that up!
And seeing nothing but elderly people in so many villages is sad. The houses seemed to crumble as soon as its final resident passed on.
I'm totally with you in initially thinking that these houses look like they belong to some local oligarch or mafia don. That seems to be the main aesthetic they're going for here, especially going by the imagery of wealth portrayed in Balkan video clips.
We live in Galicia, Spain. Which has suffered its own diaspora. The returnees at the beginning of the last century were called Indianos and they built elaborate houses in the style of South America with turrets and balconies and lots of showy tiles and colour. After a period of neglect ( understandable with Spains history) they are being loved again. There are events in towns which have a cluster of these houses, attendees dress up ( Spain needs only a small excuse to embrace fancy dress) and there are re- enactments and everyone has a lovely time. So perhaps your villages will have a future as a nostalgic tourist attraction. It's a strange world.
It's certainly a strange world, but well done for the Galicians for finding a way to bring life back to these houses. Interesting to note that the neighbourhoods in Huedin, Romania and Soroca, Moldova, where the most audacious of these houses can be found in southeastern Europe, are already becoming tourist attractions in themselves. Unfortunately, going by history, and the fact that it's just not economically viable to renovate and then maintain these excessively huge houses, it's more than likely that many of these mega-mansions will face the same fate as many of the once beautiful 19th century houses in too many villages all throughout Europe.
Absolutely fascinating, thanks Nick. It's a part of the world I've never visited or even known much about so I'm enjoying this blog.
Thank you very much! I'm very glad you're enjoying my writing.
Such a great piece - travelling through the Balkans I've witnessed so many McMansions, often in very empty neighbourhoods. As you write, these are the ghost towns of the near future.
Near future indeed! Already in the past 30 years I've seen once lively villages full of children turn into places where no one is under 60.
Nick, great insights as usual. In the village where I live here in northern Bosnia we have similar, but less ostentatious, properties, but the families do come back to enjoy what they built and live off their hard earned EU standard pensions in retirement.
Thank you very much David!
You're lucky that the people in your village do return to live. It's not a great sign where most of the villages I'm connected to are now near ghost towns, and that's happened just in the past two decades.
I see that the Bosnian diaspora in particular will be splashing the money over the next month. On social media, many of the major singers in the region are advertising their full August schedule of concerts concentrating on Bosnian cities and towns.
Yes, the "concert season" has arrived. My musical tastes are somewhat eclectic to say the least but don't include too many local artists. Most of the artists and groups I admired as a young guy are increasingly departing this life.
Please tell me whether it's still the case like it was when I was in Bosnia in early August 2016 that everyone in Bosnia knows when the school summer holidays are about to end in Austria? I was warned countless times to avoid the roads then, and they were right. I recall it was even announced on the radio and TV hehe
If you're talking about long long queues at the border, then it is. My wife Tamara has found the online links to the border cameras so we know when NOT to travel.