stood ▁the ▁rav ages ▁of ▁man ▁and ▁the ▁assault ▁of ▁time ▁and ▁the ▁elements . ▁In ▁the ▁following ▁centuries , ▁the ▁inhabitants ▁of ▁Bar rea ▁built ▁a ▁t angle ▁of ▁pract ically ▁im pre gn able ▁houses ▁along ▁the ▁south western ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁valley . ▁Everything ▁is ▁protected ▁by ▁nature ▁on ▁one ▁side ▁and ▁by ▁observation ▁to wers , ▁one ▁round ▁and ▁one ▁square , ▁and ▁def ensive ▁walls ▁on ▁the ▁other . ▁Historic ▁records ▁of ▁this ▁town ▁mirror ▁other ▁examples ▁found ▁in ▁Italy : ▁blo ody ▁wars , ▁rival ries ▁and ▁even ▁dev ast ating ▁earth qu akes . ▁ ▁One ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁original , ▁central ▁castle ▁was ▁protected ▁from ▁inv aders ▁by ▁natural ▁means , ▁util izing ▁the ▁imp ass ably ▁ste ep ▁slope ▁of ▁the ▁mountain ; ▁two ▁stone ▁castle ▁gates ▁afford ed ▁other ▁protection ▁to ▁the ▁castle ▁and ▁the ▁homes ▁that ▁were ▁built ▁within ▁its ▁walls , ▁d ug ▁into ▁the ▁sl ides ▁of ▁the ▁mountain ▁and ▁giving ▁out ▁through ▁front ▁ent ran ces ▁facing ▁on ▁narrow , ▁tw isting , ▁ste ep ▁stone ▁alle ys . ▁ ▁Its ▁location ▁surrounded ▁by ▁the ▁Ap enn ines ▁would ▁have ▁prevent ed ▁Bar rea ' s ▁development ▁into ▁an ▁industrial ▁area ▁had ▁not ▁other ▁economic ▁obst acles ▁also ▁existed ; ▁histor ically , ▁residents ▁existed ▁by ▁t ending ▁small ▁far ms ▁in ▁plots ▁on ▁the ▁mountains ide . ▁A ▁major ▁em igration ▁took ▁place ▁after ▁the ▁earth qu ake ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁when ▁many ▁residents