The Lagoon of Venice is made up of a whopping 166 little islets, all of which are home to special gems and surprises that are just waiting to be discovered. Of course, in a city so diverse and unusual and ancient, there is a great wealth of history and nestled amongst the defining events and larger moments, there are tales of ghosts, ghouls, goblins, and more. There are ghost tours of the city that can be done, famously haunted buildings, and much more besides but there is also an entire islet in the lagoon that is a spooky destination considered to be one of the most haunted places in all of Italy. If you’re looking for a spot for a creepy and spooky mid-term break or October getaway, then look no further than Venice! Just browse our vacation rentals in Venice and get planning your trip today.
Said haunted islet is Poveglia Island, located between Venice and the Lido in the Venetian Lagoon. First mentioned in writing in the early 5th century as a safe haven from invasions by Alaric the Goth and Attila the Hun during the decline of the Roman Empire, though it is though to have been inhabited since as early as 2,000 BC, it has gone on to be used for various purposes throughout the centuries. In the 14th century, residents were removed and it was made into a military outpost to secure the lagoon and during the Bubonic Plague (in the 16th and 17th centuries), it was a mass burial ground for the contagious dead and a place where the ill were quarantined. Anyone who showed signs of the illness was whipped away from their families and sent to the island. If they were better after 40 days of quarantine, they could return home but few ever did. Thousands of bodies were incinerated on the island.
Said haunted islet is Poveglia Island, located between Venice and the Lido in the Venetian Lagoon. First mentioned in writing in the early 5th century as a safe haven from invasions by Alaric the Goth and Attila the Hun during the decline of the Roman Empire, though it is though to have been inhabited since as early as 2,000 BC, it has gone on to be used for various purposes throughout the centuries. In the 14th century, residents were removed and it was made into a military outpost to secure the lagoon and during the Bubonic Plague (in the 16th and 17th centuries), it was a mass burial ground for the contagious dead and a place where the ill were quarantined. Anyone who showed signs of the illness was whipped away from their families and sent to the island. If they were better after 40 days of quarantine, they could return home but few ever did. Thousands of bodies were incinerated on the island.
In the 18th century, it was, again, used to quarantine people as a checkpoint where ships and boasts coming into Venice were rigorously inspected before being allowed to enter the city. Then, in the 20th century, it was used as a hospital for the mentally ill with rumours of horrifying experiments on the patients surfacing. The doctor is said to have killed himself to escape punishment for his horrific human torture or to have been haunted by the tormented souls on the island and was cornered into suicide. Yet another tale claims that a person or thing pushed him to his death from a tower.
As one can imagine, all of these real events and rumoured happenings have lead people to believe the island very haunted and locals say it is cursed and full of ghosts. Since the closure of the hospital in 1968, the island has remained abandoned and has fallen into ruin. The government attempted to auction it off in 2014 and a few suggestions for ways to repurpose it have been put forward, with various groups expressing interest in redeveloping Poveglia. However, as of 2019, there has been no actual progress and there are currently no plans to do anything with the cursed island.
Poveglia has been visited by many journalists, photographers, and television shows like “Ghost Adventures” and “Scariest Places on Earth” and their teams of paranormal investigators, and has inspired works of fiction and graphic novels. It is currently not accessible to the public but its creepy presence can be observed by boat from the lagoon. If you want to see it, and the various other supposedly haunted spots around the city, for yourself, then find a vacation rental in Venice and get exploring!
As one can imagine, all of these real events and rumoured happenings have lead people to believe the island very haunted and locals say it is cursed and full of ghosts. Since the closure of the hospital in 1968, the island has remained abandoned and has fallen into ruin. The government attempted to auction it off in 2014 and a few suggestions for ways to repurpose it have been put forward, with various groups expressing interest in redeveloping Poveglia. However, as of 2019, there has been no actual progress and there are currently no plans to do anything with the cursed island.
Poveglia has been visited by many journalists, photographers, and television shows like “Ghost Adventures” and “Scariest Places on Earth” and their teams of paranormal investigators, and has inspired works of fiction and graphic novels. It is currently not accessible to the public but its creepy presence can be observed by boat from the lagoon. If you want to see it, and the various other supposedly haunted spots around the city, for yourself, then find a vacation rental in Venice and get exploring!
