The Venetian Plague Island Of Poveglia
Wikimedia CommonsThe Italian government considered auctioning the island off in 2014, but public outcry made them reconsider.
Hidden in an isolated Venetian lagoon in Italy, Poveglia Island was both a quarantine center for Bubonic plague patients and a mass grave for victims as early as the 16th century. As such, it’s been dubbed the “Island of Ghosts,” and some believe it is one of the most haunted places in all of Europe.
As Europe’s dominant trading port during the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, it was imperative for Venice to keep functioning even through the Bubonic Plague of the 14th century. So strategic was the trading port, in fact, that Napoleon Bonaparte utilized Poveglia to store weapons during his reign as French Emperor from 1804 to 1814.
In order to maintain a sense of pre-pandemic normalcy, officials established isolated islands such as Poveglia to quarantine the sick — though few ever left the island once they were admitted. Over the centuries, more than 160,000 plague victims were banished to the 17-acre island.
Those who perished were burned, and some claim that half of Poveglia’s soil is comprised of cremation ashes. Recently, mass graves on nearby islands were found to contain thousands of remains.
The hospital's mental ward was a torture chamber: one doctor reportedly tortured and killed several of his patients. Legend has it that this doctor either fell or was thrown from Poveglia's bell tower. Though there's no primary evidence to support either scenario, what is undeniable is Poveglia's draw to tourists. It's strictly off-limits to visitors, but some have managed to reach the island on their own.
In 2016, five people from Colorado had to be rescued by Italian firefighters after opting to illegally spend a night on the island. Though they succeeded in taking a water taxi there and were excited to stay until dawn, they claimed a presence began haunting them, which caused them to cry for help.
Poveglia Island's fate remains in limbo, as Italy's 2014 consideration of putting it up for auction resulted in a staunch public disagreement. Be sure to visit at your own risk, as there are legal repercussions for trespassing — and an allegedly paranormal presence awaiting your arrival.
