Eerie ghost village on beautiful Greek island now a haven for dark tourism

Tucked away between plane trees lies a small village that most would never imagine could be found on the beautiful Greek island of Rhodes. Found on the slopes of Mount Profitis Ilias, the eerie ghost village of Eleousa (Άγια Ελεούσα) has sat abandoned for over 50 years.

Originally known by its Italian name, Campochiaro (“Bright Field”), this settlement stands as a poignant reminder of Rhodes’ Italian occupation from 1912 to 1947, a period that dramatically reshaped its landscape and identity. Founded around 1935, this settlement was far from those found elsewhere on the island.

Instead, it was a carefully planned rural community designed by the Italian administration. Its primary purpose was to support the burgeoning timber trade of the surrounding forests and foster a developing tourism industry. Many of its first inhabitants were Italian lumberjacks and their families, hailing from the Alpine regions of Northern Italy.

The residents’ architectural styles are reflected in the buildings still standing today, though their once-vibrant facades and pitched roofs have largely been reclaimed by nature.

The central Eleousa Square remains the heart of the village, surrounded by several key structures, including the market, or Agora, a building boasting elegant arches and curved balconies that once served as the bustling commercial hub of the community, and the former prison. This building served as a military prison during the Italian occupation, but, following the Dodecanese’s integration with Greece in 1947, it found new life as the village school.

The Dodecanese Sanatorium, “Queen Frederica”, is often called the most haunting of Eleousa’s structures. This grand building was originally the village school, but it was converted in 1947 to treat tuberculosis patients. Its remote, forested location was believed to offer the ideal environment for healing and isolation, according to The Greek Reporter.

The sanatorium remained open until the early 1970s, when it was abandoned. It is now in a rapid state of decay but remains a popular destination for tourists who enjoy exploring dark periods of history.

A short distance from the square lies a large, circular artificial lake, or cistern. This vital structure collects water from the nearby Koskinisti spring via an impressive aqueduct built by the Italians. This unique ecosystem is also a crucial habitat for the Gizani fish (Ladigesocypris ghigii), a small, critically endangered freshwater species endemic solely to Rhodes.

The golden age of Eleousa was brief. Most Italian residents departed between 1940 and 1943, with the final families leaving by 1947 when the Dodecanese officially became part of Greece.

However, Eleousa is not entirely deserted. A small number of Greek residents have settled there, alongside a growing number of tourists drawn to its unique history and peaceful surroundings.

Nearby also lies the Villa de Vecchi, often popularly referred to as “Mussolini’s Villa”, another eerie relic of the Italian occupation. The mansion was designed and intended to be the holiday residence for the Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini. However, Mussolini never actually spent any time in the villa. It was, however, the residence of Count Cesare Maria De Vecchi, one of Mussolini’s advisors and a former governor of the Dodecanese islands.