The World’s Most Haunted Island
Hidden away in the misty waters of the Venetian Lagoon, just off Venice’s coast, lies Poveglia Island—a place shrouded in shadows and whispered horrors. Beneath its serene beauty lurks a dark past: once a desolate quarantine ground, then a cruel asylum where suffering echoed through its walls. Haunted by restless spirits, many say it’s the world’s most haunted place. But what lies beyond the tales? Dare to discover the truth.
Three’s Company
Poveglia is actually a set of three islands.
One island has been taken over by vegetation, another is the site of the main buildings, and the smallest island is an octagonal fortress.
The First Inhabitants
Though no one walks there now, Poveglia was once home to a thriving, peaceful community.
The first mention of the island is in historical records from 421. That’s when the first inhabitants, who were fleeing war in northern Italy, reached its shores.
Marco Usan, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
A Peaceful Community
A small community began to grow on Poveglia and the island reached the height of its power in the 7th century.
The people there traded with the nearby island of Pellestrina and didn’t have to pay taxes since they were far from the Italian mainland.
Pandora Pictures, Shutterstock
Abandoned For The First Time
Sadly, Poveglia’s time of glory came to an end in 1379.
Poveglia was caught in the middle of the Chiogga War, waged between Venice and Genoa, so the people relocated to the safety of mainland Venice.
Luca.favorido, Wikimedia Commons
The Fort
Poveglia lay silent and abandoned for centuries—until 1645, when the Venetian government breathed new life into the island, erecting octagonal forts to guard the lagoon. Today, only Poveglia’s fortress remains, standing as a lone sentinel to its shadowed past.
Pandora Pictures, Shutterstock
Venice Takes Over
In 1776, the Venetian Public Health Office took control of Poveglia. At first, they used the island as a Customs checkpoint.
But in 1793, everything changed, and the island came to serve a much darker purpose.
The Plague Ships
In 1793, two ships docked at Poveglia—and they were carrying something far more deadly than any trade goods.
There were several cases of plague on both ships, and the Venetian government refused to let them get any further to the mainland.
Angelo Meneghini, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Quarantine
With the plague ships stuck at the island, Poveglia was turned into a temporary quarantine site.
Anyone suffering from the highly contagious disease was sent to the island and ultimately left there to die.
Angelo Meneghini, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Plague Pits
To deal with all the people succumbing to the plague, the authorities built “plague pits”.
They would fill these pits with the bodies of the departed, and light them on fire or bury them once they got full.
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The Death Toll
It’s believed that as many as 160,000 souls were laid to rest in the island’s mass graves—so much so that some say half the soil on Poveglia is mixed with human ashes.
Napoleon Comes To Town
Poveglia’s use as quarantine zone was meant to be temporary, but this changed in 1805.
That’s when Napoleon Bonaparte made the island a permanent quarantine zone. He also destroyed the island’s church of San Vitale and made the bell tower into a lighthouse.
A New Purpose
In 1814, the island’s quarantine zone was closed. In 1922, it was given a new purpose: as an asylum.
This was supposed to be a place of healing for mentally ill patients. Instead, it became a living hell.
The Deranged Doctor
Rumor has it that the doctor who ran the asylum liked to perform torturous experiments on his patients.
Lobotomies were his favorite form of torment, but if the ghost stories are to be believed, this eventually caused the doctor’s downfall.
A Fitting End
Eventually, the doctor himself went mad and jumped to his demise from the clock tower.
It’s said that the ghosts of his patients drove him crazy, and that an eerie fog was seen around him just before he jumped.
Haunted
Given its dark history of death and despair, it’s no wonder Poveglia is shrouded in haunting rumors. Fishermen say they’ve heard chilling screams and ghostly moans drifting from the island—and even the bell tower’s eerie chimes, despite the bell having vanished centuries ago.
Little Maria
More than just making odd sounds, some of Poveglia’s ghostly residents are determined to be seen.
Little Maria, a child who probably succumbed to the plague, is one of the most popular spirits. For more than 400 years, there have been sightings of her wandering on the beach, crying.
Pietro
Several spirits remain from the island’s time as an asylum. An amputee named Pietro used to race his wheelchair down the halls of the asylum.
Now, people say you can hear the squeaking of his wheelchair in the empty halls.
More Spirits
Frederico, another patient, has been seen grinning and laughing. That's a sharp contrast to the terrified young woman who has also been spotted on the island.
People say she’s still afraid of the evil doctor.
Pandora Pictures, Shutterstock
The Nursing Home
After its days as an asylum, Poveglia was used as a long-term care facility. But this didn’t last long—some claim the new patients were haunted by the island’s ghosts and this prompted the move to close the island.
Whatever the truth may be, Poveglia was closed in 1968, and has been abandoned ever since.
Pandora Pictures, Shutterstock
The Future Of Poveglia
Despite its haunting past, some see potential for Poveglia’s revival—recent efforts by the Venetian government aimed to breathe new life into the island. But restless spirits seem to stand in the way, keeping the island locked in its eerie silence.
Bad Business
Though the Venetian government has made a few building agreements over the years, they always fall through under mysterious circumstances.
When people have tried to reconstruct the island’s decrepit buildings, there were too many eerie, unexplainable incidents, which sent construction crews running back to the mainland.
A Mayoral Bid
Even though nothing new has been built on the island for hundreds of years, the Venetian government is still trying to sell Poveglia.
In 2014, Italian entrepreneur and eventual mayor of Venice Luigi Brugnaro announced a €20 million plan to restore the island. Sadly, the deal fell through.
Poveglia per Tutti
In 2015, an organization called Poveglia per Tutti tried to raise funds to restore Poveglia and make it a new tourist hotspot. They aimed to raise €25 million, with the hopes of building a new park, marina, restaurant, and study center.
Many Venetians supported this new initiative, but the island still remains abandoned.
Small Success
At first, Poveglia per Tutti seemed successful. The Venetian government granted the organization access to the island for maintenance.
But in early 2018, the government reneged.
Forbidden Land
In February 2018, the Venetian government revealed plans to repurpose Poveglia Island—but in an unprecedented move, they banned all visitors and prohibited boats from approaching closer than 20 meters.
Better Left Alone
While there have been several efforts to reclaim Poveglia from its restless spirits, perhaps its best that the island remains abandoned.
Local fishermen still give Poveglia a wide berth, and with good reason.
Remnants Of The Departed
Fishermen who have been brave enough to go near the island’s shores say that on clear days, you can see skulls and bones beneath the surface of the water.
If they happen to catch a piece of bone in their nets, the whole catch is thrown back to the sea, rather than risk any supernatural consequences.
World Famous
The eerie atmosphere of Poveglia has led some to call it the most haunted place in the world.
Because of this, the island has been featured on several paranormal shows, including Ghost Adventures and Scariest Places on Earth.
Poveglia Tourism
Because of the dilapidated buildings and its chilling reputation, Poveglia is closed to the public. However, anyone who wishes to brave the island can seek special authorization from the Venetian government.
This must be done well in advance of your visit and it’s rare for the government to accept these kinds of requests from tourists.
Final Thoughts
Poveglia is a beautiful, haunting remnant of the past. The island's history of sorrow has marked it unexplainable ways, and it seems like despite the Venetian's government's best efforts to rebuild things, the spirits of Poveglia remain the true owners of the island.
Perhaps it's better than way. Perhaps leaving it untouched and peacefully isolated is the best way to honor all those who met their final days on Poveglia Island.
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