6 smallest towns in the world

Let’s find out where a tired resident of the metropolis can go, so as not to meet any of his acquaintances there.

• PhinDeli (Buford), Wyoming, USA

  The city became famous for the fact that for a long time the only resident lived in it who used to be a mayor, janitor, gas station attendant and seller in a local store at the same time - Don Sammons. He came to Buford with his family in 1980, and after the death of his wife, he lived here with his son. In 2008, the son moved, the mayor was left alone, but in 2012 he put the city up for sale.

  Together with the house, an abandoned school building built in 1905, a gas station, a garage, a barn and a store that the famous bandit Butch Cassidy tried to rob at one time were bid at the auction. The winner of the auction, which lasted 15 minutes, was a businessman from Vietnam. The transaction price was $900,000. The new owner of the city renamed Buford to PhinDeli and went into business to promote Vietnamese coffee in the United States.

  Don Sammons is now officially employed as a co-mayor of his former city. Buford is located in southeastern Wyoming, between the cities of Cheyenne and Laramie, on Interstate 80. The city originated during the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad in the 1860s. In the best of times, 2 thousand people lived here. The population began to decline sharply when the route of the highway was changed.

  Why can one come here? Well, how not to send a paper letter from here or at least a memorable SMS - the city has its own postal code and cell tower.

• Hum, Croatia

  This medieval walled city was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the smallest in the world. It is located in the central part of the Istrian peninsula, on the top of one of the hills, at an altitude of 349 m. According to the legend, Hum was built from giant stones by giants. Hum acquired the status of the city back in the 11th century; it has its own mayor, policeman, doctor, judge and fireman. In the 40s of the last century, 450 people lived here.

  The frescoes of the 12th century are perfectly preserved in Hum. In addition, there are 13 houses, 2 streets, 2 temples, a museum, a shop, a post office, a cemetery, a restaurant, and a hotel. In mid-June every year, the city holds mayoral elections, in which only men participate. The procedure ends with a dance festival.

  Why can one come here? You can have a good drink in Hum. The restaurant serves homemade 38-degree herbal tincture Humska Biska, which is prepared according to the recipe of the ancient Celts. Locals claim that this recipe is more than 2 thousand years old.

• Rabstein nad Strzeloy, Czech Republic

  The ancient, picturesque, smallest town of the Czech Republic and all of Central Europe, Rabstein nad Strzeloy, received its status back in 1337. There is only one street and one square. The most popular attractions are the ruins of a 14th-century Gothic fortress, a Baroque castle, and an old church.

  In addition, there is a Jewish cemetery, an ancient stone bridge, a non-working wooden mill, a hotel, a stable. Rabstein is famous for its slate, which can still be found on the roofs of local houses. Most of the houses are used by residents as summer cottages.

  Why can one come here? You can look for well-mannered European ghosts - there is a rest house in the castle.

• Melnik, Bulgaria

  Melnik is considered the smallest town in Bulgaria, although at the beginning of the 20th century 5 thousand people lived here (mostly Greeks). The name of the town comes from the surrounding chalk cliffs. The oldest residential building in Melnik - and in all of Bulgaria - is the Boyar (Byzantine) house of the 13th century.

  In total, there are about 100 cultural monuments in the town; the most interesting are the monastery of St. Nicholas of the XII century, the Slavov fortress of the XIII century, the church of the Apostles Peter and Paul, the Roman bridge and the old Turkish bath. But Melnik is especially famous for its folklore festivals and thick homemade wine, which is made according to ancient technologies. Huge barrels are stored in the rocks.

  Why can one come here? Here you can feel like time travelers: little has changed here since the Middle Ages. In addition, mighty plane trees grow in Melnik, some trees are hundreds of years old.

• Kallaste, Estonia

  The Estonian city of Kallaste (translated from Estonian as “shore”) is located on the shores of Lake Peipsi. Until 1923, it had a different name - Red Mountains, after the name of the local red sandstone. Kallaste arose in the 18th century, in 1938 it received the status of a town. Most of the inhabitants, 72% of whom are of Russian origin, are engaged in fishing.

  The area of ​​the city is less than 2 km. In addition to the sandstone, Kallaste is known for its functioning Old Believer church and the fraternal cemetery of Soviet soldiers. It is the poorest city in the country, according to Mayor Kallaste, where "40.8% of children live in relative poverty."

  Why can one come here? Well, you can visit it just out of curiosity.

• Durbuy, Belgium

  Durbuy is a tiny French-speaking town in Belgium. Although it acquired city status in 1331, Durbuy was first mentioned in the 11th century. There are three geological zones in the town, amazing landscapes - meadows, valleys, caves, mountains, forests, the river Urt.

  The city lives off tourists and carefully preserves its medieval atmosphere: narrow cobbled streets, stone houses, the Church of St. Nicholas, the Bread Market of 1380 and the ancient castle built back in 889. The first tourists appeared in Dubuy in the 19th century, and since then the city has acquired good infrastructure: hotels, restaurants, cafes and souvenir shops.

  Why can one come here? Here you can ride in a horse-drawn carriage, raft on the River Urt or wander among the topiary trees in the small Topiary Park. And what is especially valuable is that you will not meet any of your acquaintances.