Within the stone walls of the medieval village of Santo Stefano di Sessanio, narrow lanes weave through stone arches, cobbled piazzas and overhanging buildings. The streets are mainly empty, except for tourists admiring the architecture and surrounding hills in Italy's southern L'Aquila province. A village which over centuries lived off agriculture and wool, Santo Stefano di Sessanio has just 108 inhabitants, less than a tenth of its pre-World War One population according to its mayor. Like many surrounding villages, most residents left for work in cities or abroad, leaving it all but abandoned. Decades later, its untouched architecture caught the attention of Swedish-Italian entrepreneur Daniele Kihlgren, who came across it on a 1999 motorbike trip. Kihlgren bought several houses, turning them in 2005 into a hotel with rooms scattered around the centre. The project has drawn tourists and injected life back into the village, according to locals. REUTERS/Siegfried Modola SEARCH "MODOLA MEDIEVAL" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Matching text ITALY-VILLAGES/