Poveglia Island or more popularly death isle is a small piece of land between Venice and Lido. The isle is split in two parts by a canal. Poveglia is long known as haunted and people visiting the island often report hearing strange sounds, feeling invisible presence around them and an urge to leave the place as soon as they land on the Poveglia Island. The history of the island has much to do with its reputation of being haunted. Poveglia being a solitary place has often been used as “Quarantine”. As plague spread in Roman times, Poveglia Island was used to quarantine the plague patients. It was considered an effective way to keep healthy people away from the infected ones.
Regarding the original population of the island, it was inhabited by a small community in 14th century; however the group left Island after the War of Chioggia. The medical practices used before the advent of modern psychiatry have often given birth to haunted places. Mentally disturbed people were often thought to be “possessed” and brutal methods were adopted to exorcise demons. In 1920s a hospital was constructed on the Island for mentally deranged people. A doctor is particularly notorious for torturing the people to “cure” mental disturbances. It is thought that Island is inhabited by the spirits of the persons who died on the island in very painful circumstances.
The island has been a topic on Ghost Adventures and has been shown on scariest places on Earth
An estimated of more one hand a half million people have died on the island.
Poveglia Island
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